The Study On The Nanjing National Government's Tibet Policy

During the period of Nanjing National Government period, under the theoretical framework of safeguarding the national unity and territorial integrity, the National Government took active measures on the work in Tibet, in order to explore in theory and in practice effective ways to resolve the issues of Tibet. In theory, it held high the banner of the Nationality Theory of Sun Zhongshan, stressing the concept of Chinese nation in the form of guozu which was conducive to national unity. In practice, it attempted to improve gradually the Sino-Tibet relationship and resume jurisdiction over Tibet by ways of propagandizing, comforting the 9th Banchan Lama and supporting him to return to Tibet to pay tribute and worship the death of the 13th Dalai Lama, of taking charge of the enthronement ceremony of the 14th Dalai Lama, and of opposing British intervention in the Tibet issues. However, due to the domestic and diplomatic reasons, the Tibet problems could not finally be resolved. Nevertheless, the political concepts of safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity as well as opposing ethnic separatism by the Nanjing National Government and actual practices it took accordingly in relation to Tibet shall be appreciated.This paper, adhering to the historical materialism and dialectical materialism view of history, by comprehensively using all kinds of archives, historical materials, memoirs and other historical documentation, using the methods of positivism, interpretation and analysis in history science, and the methods of policy analysis, comparison and integration in political science, tries to put the National Government's Tibet policy into the vision of the domestic and international situation and the reality of Tibet of that time and make comprehensive observation. It, based on historical facts, tries to be objective, impartial, and comprehensive.There are six chapters in this paper. The main content of chapter I is the Beijing Governments' Tibet policy, which is a comprehensive summary of some policies and measures on Tibet taken by all the past governments in Beijing, and preparing for the transition to the National Government's Tibet policy. The main content of chapter II is the Nanjing National Government's nationality theories, including Sun Zhongshan's Republic of Five Nationalities Theory and the Chinese Nation Theory. The theories of the National Government such as guozu Theory and the Local-self Governance Theory, etc are also discussed. Chapter III deals with the Nanjing National Government's Tibet policy before the Anti-Japanese Law . It covers the formation of the policy, the establishment of Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission, the improvement of Sino-Tibetan relations, the proper settlement of the disputes between Kang-Tibet and Qinghai-Tibet, as well as entering Tibet to pay tribute and worship the death of the 13th Dalai Lama and summaries of the policy for the decade. Chapter IV deals with the Nanjing National Government's Tibet policy during the Anti-Japanese War, including properly handling the death of the 9th Banchan Lama and his coffin back to Tibet, successfully chairing the enthronement ceremony of the 14th Dalai Lama and establishing the office of Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission in Tibet, preventing the Tibet local government from illegally setting up Foreign Affairs Bureau, taking tough measures against Tibet local government for its obstructing to pave China-India road and intercepting assist materials sent to China, and opposing the British invasion into the southern Tibet, etc. Chapter V discusses the Nanjing National Government's Tibet policy after the War, including the formation of the policy, re-improvement of the Sino-Tibetan relations, supporting Rezhen to resume his throne, opposition to the separatist activities in Tibet, proper settlement of the 10th Banchan Lama' enthronement ceremony, etc. Chapter VI is the conclusion, which will summarize the successes and failures of the National Government' Tibet policies.