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How was the 17-Article Agreement signed?
Posted: March-17-2009Adjust font size:

Two Supplements to the 17-Article Agreement

The author learned about something about the supplements to the 17 Article-Agreement from Ngapoi Nagwang Jigmei in Lhasa as early as July 31, 1989. That day, Ngapoi made a long speech at the 2nd Session of the 5th Regional People's Congress of Tibet. He emphasized: "Only by following the socialist road, can Tibet have a bright future… The Central Government always keeps the door to talks open to Dalai as long as he abandons the stand of 'Tibet Independence'. The Central Government has never recognized the Gaxag government of Tibet in exile abroad, but to talk only with the Dalai Lama himself and his private representatives."

When recalling the negotiation on PLA's entry into Tibet, Ngapoi said: "What if the Agreement didn't comply with the Dalai Lama's wish and he fled abroad under the pretext of his disapproval of the PLA's garrison in Tibet? We requested the Central Government to add on article in the Agreement: it would be the best if the Dalai Lama and Gaxag accepted the Agreement; if the Dalai Lama didn't recognize it and fled abroad, we should allow him to stay there for one year until he returns to Tibet after witnessing favorable changes and development in this region; till then, the Central Government should guarantee to maintain his existing status and powers. The Central Government had approved our request, but decided that since the 17-Article agreement had to be announced in the whole world, should this article be written into the Agreement, there would possibly be plenty of comments around the world. I t proposed writing the Article into a supplement. We agreed." His speech was included in the book titled "700 years of Tibet."

There are two supplements to the 17-Article Agreement. One is "Provisions on Matters related to the PLA's Garrison in Tibet ", which stipulated that the Central Government would send one army to garrison Tibet and shall be responsible for all financing and materials of the PLA troops and the reorganization of Tibetan army. The other is "Statement of the Tibet's Local Government on Implementing the 17-Article Agreement." The main contents cover the fact that in the first year of implementing the Agreement, the Dalai Lama could choose his residence on his own and that during this period his status and powers would remain unchanged if he returns to his post.

In the process of negotiations in Beijing, interpreters of both parties were Tibetan: Phuntsok Wanggyai of the Central Government and Phuntsog Tashi (Han-Tibetan language) and Sangdu Renqing (English-Tibetan language) of Tibet's local government. Phuntsok Wanggyai, who was a commissioner of the Tibetan Working Committee of CPC at that time, wrote in an article carried in "Study of Tibet" in 1991: "Because of consequences of the intervention by various kinds of reactionary forces at home and abroad, some questions could not be explained explicitly in a few words in a cable. Moreover, poor communication conditions made it impossible for us to ask Gaxag for instructions on every matter. Under these special circumstances, we Tibetan representatives had to be responsible for history, perform our duties by making necessary decisions, including the supplements to the Agreement."

Photo shows the representatives of Tibet's local government signing the 17-Article Agreement on May 23, 1951. (Xinhua File Photo)

Tubdain Dainda recalled in an article published in 1982 that after signing the Agreement, the representatives of Tibet's local government sent the full text to Yadong and then were asked to cable the supplements as well. At that time, we had to cable from Beijing to Yadong via India, which took a long time to get a reply. Thus we replied: "The supplements are top state secrets and hence cannot be cabled. That is why we will bring them back." However, the Dalai Lama and Gaxag insisted on obtaining the full texts of the documents before expressing their stand.

In June 1951, entrusted by the central government, the central representative Zhang Jingwu sent Mao Zedong's letter to the Dalai Lama. He went together with Kemo Soinam Wangdui, Tudain Dainda, Tubdain Laimoin, Sangpo Toinzin Toinzhol and Yaoxi Phuntsog Tashi, and it took them one month to get to Yadong by way of Hong Kong and India. "The Central Representative in Tibet" by Zhao Shenying reads: "Upon Zhang Jingwu's arrival in his chamber, the Dalai Lama stood up from the chair, came forward to welcome him and asked him to take a seat. Zhang said: 'Chairman Mao was very delighted that you sent representatives to talk with the central government in Beijing, with the result that the 17-Article Agreement on peaceful liberation of Tibet was signed. He praised highly on your patriotic attitude.' Then he handed over Mao's letter, a copy of the Agreement and the two supplements. "

In the letter, Mao said: "Since you came to power, the local government of Tibet has changed its past attitude and answered the call of the Central Government for peaceful liberation of Tibet by sending a delegation headed by Ngapoi Ngawang Jigmei for peace talks in Beijing. This measure of yours is entirely correct… I hope that you and the local government under your leadership will earnestly implement The Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local government of Tibet on Measures for Peaceful Liberation of Tibet and do everything possible to assist the People's Liberation Army in marching into Tibet peacefully."

Finally, the Dalai Lama came back to Lhasa after the persuasion by Zhang Jingwu and some Gaxag officials.

For years, the Dalai clique has mentioned the supplements to the 17-Article Agreement when distorting the Agreement. The Dalai Lama and his so-called "government in exile" said in the statement against the Agreement: "By now, the Chinese Communist Party has not made public the supplementary seven articles to the 17-Article Agreement. Another three articles also have been kept in secret because the persons concerned forgot, suffered from amnesia or faced external pressure."

Why the supplements to the 17-Article Agreement were not published? The reason is that the supplement stipulated the scale of the PLA troops to be stationed in Tibet and the plan on reorganizing the Tibetan troops. The two points were then considered top military secrets. And the other one was set on the precondition that if the Dalai Lama does not accept the Agreement and goes abroad, the Central Government will allow him to stay abroad for one year and if the Dalai Lama comes back, the Central Government will still acknowledge his status and powers. Nevertheless, the Dalai Lama didn't go abroad; instead, he returned to Lhasa via Yadong, approved the Agreement and cabled to Chairman Mao Zedong to express support to the Agreement and willingness to carry it out. That is why it was not necessary to make the two supplements public.

Photo shows the two versions of the 17-Article Agreement in the Tibetan and Han languages. (Source: China Tibet Information Center)

On October 20, Gaxag held a meeting of 300 monk and lay officials in the Potala Palace, at which the representatives taking part in the negotiation explained in detail the whole process of the signing of the Agreement and answered questions from the officials. Some of them doubted that the representatives had been bribed by the Central Government, Ngapoi Ngawang Jigmei replied: "At that time, the Central Government gave me a portrait of Chairman Mao, a roll of yellow satin and a box of black tea. That's all. Other representatives got less than me. Do you think I could be bribed by such a small amount of things?Please think it over."

Having learned about the signing process, Gaxag decided to accept the 17-Article Agreement.

Later,the Dalai Lama wired to Beijing to express his support to the 17-Article Agreement. Following is the full text:

Oct. 24, 1951

Aug. 24 of Tibetan lunar year of Iron Rabbit

Chairman Mao of the Central People's Government:

This year the local government of Tibet has sent five representatives with full authority headed by Galoon Ngapoi, who arrived in Beijing in late April 1951 for peace negotiations with fully-powered representatives appointed by the Central People's Government.

On the basis of friendship, representatives of both sides signed the Agreement on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet on May 23, 1951.

The local government of Tibet as well as the Tibetan monks and laymen unanimously support this agreement, and under the leadership of Chairman Mao and the Central People's Government, will actively assist the People's Liberation Army troops in marching into Tibet, in order to consolidate national defense, drive imperialist forces out of Tibet and safeguard the territorial and sovereignty integrity of the motherland. I hereby send this cable to inform you.

The Dalai Lama of the local government of Tibet

Mao Zedong's reply to the Dalai Lama is as follows:

Oct. 26, 1951

I have received your cable dating on October 24, 1951 .I appreciate your efforts to carry out the Agreement on Measures for Peaceful Liberation of Tibet. I hereby send my since congratulations to you.

Mao Zedong

With regard to the Dalai clique's accusation of the 17-Article Agreement's legality, Canadian scholar A. Tom Grunfeld pointed out in the book titled "The Making of Modern Tibet": "If this accusation is true, why didn't the Dalai Lama mention it in the letter? And, if this Agreement was imposed on Tibetans, why did the Dalai Lama and almost all the Tibetan nobles return to Lhasa and work with the Han people together?"

He added: "The Dalai Lama argues the reason why he didn't express his dissatisfaction was that in those days the Tibetan people were on good terms with the Han people. So, there's no need to make such things known to the public. These words of his are unbelievable. Anyway, the fact is that the Dalai Lama and his officials were all back to Lhasa and they had worked together with the Han people, which itself has proved the legality of the 17-Article Agreement."

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Source: XinhuaEditor: Lydia
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