This is certainly not a guy who has some delusion of grandeur about Tibet’s capacity to become independent through an armed struggle with China.
He acknowledges China’s great power role. They already have the “manpower, military power [and] monetary power.” But, he says, “Moral power, moral authority is lacking.”
In other words, China would need some moral and spiritual foundation to underpin its heedless and relentless pursuit of greed. Because, in its absence, it will lose its social and cultural cohesion and bring on itself the social chaos that its leadership professes to fear so much.
And for this, China can certainly use the Dalai’s Lama’s moral authority.
Pico Iyer, who has studied the Dalai Lama over the decades, says: “the Dalai Lama has always been adept at pointing out, logically, how Tibet’s interests and China’s converge — bringing geopolitics and Buddhist principles together.”
China, therefore, should tap his spiritual and moral authority and make him a partner in its moral regeneration. This, however, would require them to stop demonizing him as some sort of evil phenomenon.
An autonomous Tibet might give some substance to China’s otherwise phony claim of ethnic and cultural diversity.
Beijing should stop waiting for the Dalai Lama to die and replace him with their own compliant nominee. Indeed, in his death, he might become a more potent symbol of retrieving Tibet’s identity, with not inconsiderable public support internationally.
At 73, the Dalai Lama is still going strong. If Beijing can get over its pathological hatred of him, he might be able to play a useful role in broadening and humanizing China’s image. And with his considerable spiritual following in Taiwan, he might even be able to play a useful bridging role with China.
The point is that Beijing’s paranoid leadership needs to relax and let Taiwan breathe freely.
Even with a broadly shared culture, people can still decide to live as separate nations. Take the case of Australia and New Zealand. They have the best of relations as separate countries with a shared cultural heritage.
Why can’t China feel more confident with an independent Taiwan, with both countries deepening their shared cultural, trade and other activities?
Granting autonomy to Tibet might be the first step to make China feel more at ease.
Sushil Seth is a writer based in Australia.
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