1959 heralded an exodus of approximately one hundred thousand Tibetans who followed their leader, the Dalai Lama, into exile in India, following a failed uprising against the Chinese rule. Until...Show more1959 heralded an exodus of approximately one hundred thousand Tibetans who followed their leader, the Dalai Lama, into exile in India, following a failed uprising against the Chinese rule. Until 1978, there was no contact between the exile Tibetans and the Chinese government. During the 1980s, four rounds of talks were held between China and Tibet, which were eventually unfruitful. This thesis will explore the long term effects of these talks on the Tibetan diaspora, and analyse how the lack of agreement between the Tibetan and Chinese negotiating teams has led to the formation of two main political factions - one claiming Tibet’s right of independence and complete separation from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and another group advocating for greater power and more rights for Tibetans within the framework of the Chinese political system. This study contributes to the existing literature by delving into the archives and by providing insights from prominent Tibetans on the negotiations. It reveals that China’s main demand during the negotiations was the return of the Dalai Lama to the PRC, while the Tibetan side urged for the formation of a unified region of all the occupied Tibetan regions and increased freedom and rights for autonomy. It explores how the two parties were on different directions and had different leverages for the negotiations. The study concludes that there had never been any real attempts from the Chinese side to negotiate with the Tibetans. The Tibetan delegations, however, raised false hope among the Tibetan people, both inside and outside of Tibet.Show less
