FEB 23 CHINA CLOSES TIBET TO FOREIGNERS FOR TWO MONTHS

FEB 23  CHINA CLOSES TIBET TO FOREIGNERS FOR TWO MONTHS

Here's a story you might have missed: The People's Republic of China has officially closed the entire province of Tibet to foreigners for the next two months. The sudden statement has travel agents  scrambling to reschedule tours. Indeed, the move is contrary to China's new "Welcome Mat" toward tourists. Sadly, it's not the tourists the PRC wants to ban. It's the journalists that are the problem. Tourists just get included in the broad category known as 'foreigners.'

Why the hush-hush? It turns out that March 10th, 2019 is the 60th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising. Way back in 1959, after nine years of Chinese occupation, protests escalated in Lhasa. For four days and nights, Tibetan people attacked Chinese citizens, killing 18. Beijing's response was swift and brutal, resulting in the exile of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet. The stately Portola Palace has been vacant ever since. Every year, the people protest on these dates, but since this is a big anniversary, the PRC is shutting everything down and moving in the troops.

China's long history with neighboring Tibet has always been contentious. Dynasty after dynasty...from the Qin to the Ming... have launched military expeditions in hopes of conquering Tibet. However, controlling a land's politics is very different from controlling a land's culture. Tibetans continue to speak Tibetan. They continue to see the Dalai Lama as their leader. Nonetheless, the PRC continues its quest to Mandarin-ize its 25th province. Schools are banned from teaching the cool-looking Tibetan alphabet.

Perhaps the biggest incursion from Beijing into Tibet came in the year 2006. That's when the Qinghai Railway opened for service. It replaced Peru's La Galera as the highest-altitude rail line in the world, at a staggering 15,500 feet above sea level. More importantly, the Qinghai Railway greatly increased the accessibility of Tibet to the rest of China. On days like May 10th, the tourists and businessmen are replaced by soldiers.

The real issue is: Why does Beijing continue to punish Tibet for valuing their own unique culture? Do they really think that 2019 will be they year when Tibetans suddenly capitulate after 2,000 years of conflict? Even Genghis Khan couldn't change Tibet, so why does President Xi think he can? The People's Republic of Chinas needs to learn how to accept the other cultures that exist within their enormous borders. There is no place for Xenophobia in the world today...even in its most remote regions!