BEIJING, May 23 (UPI) -- Chinese officials published a white paper on Tibet Sunday, urging the Dalai Lama to "truly relinquish" his stand for "Tibet independence."
"The Central Government's policy as regards the Dalai Lama is consistent and clear," the paper entitled "Regional Ethnic Autonomy in Tibet, said. "It is hoped that the Dalai Lama will look reality in the face, make a correct judgment of the situation, truly relinquish his stand for 'Tibet independence,' and do something beneficial to the progress of China and the region of Tibet in his remaining years."
The 30-page paper, released by the Information Office of the State Council, or the cabinet, is the first of its kind to focus on the "regional ethnic autonomy" policy long practiced in China's ethnic minority regions, reported Xinhua, China's main government-run news agency.
The white paper appears to be a counteroffensive against lobbying by of the Dalai Lama, who alleges the regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet was "devoid of essential contents" and proposed the exercise of "one country, two systems" and "a high degree of autonomy" in Tibet modeled after Hong Kong and Macao -- something the white paper described as "totally untenable."
