Charles Bell And The Sino - British Tibet Issue

In the late19th century, the frontier of China faces a serious of crisis. The vast lands of the northeast, northwest and southwest in China are occupied by Western powers by signing the unequal treaties. In the tide of partitioning China by the imperialist powers, the British Empire is the vanguard and plays an important role in the invasion of Tibet. In February1888, the British army attacks the defense in Long Tu Mountain, unveiling a prelude to the armed invasion of Tibet. In1904, the colonel Younghusband takes the troops attack Lhasa and the second invasion of Tibet starts. By the two aggression against Tibet, the Qing government is forced to sign the Treaties with British government on "Sino-British Conference on Tibet and India" in1890,"Sino-British meeting on Tibet and India to Renew the Contact" in1893and "Lhasa Convention" in1906. Till then China’s southwest portal is opened by British Empire.During the process of British invasion of Tibet, a number of aggressive molecules, such as Younghusband, LiJi sheng and Charles Bell, known as the West’s most influential individuals, are sent out and instructed by the British-Indian government. They march to the proximity to the front line, execute the implementation of English-Indian Government’s policy, negotiate with the Chinese government and Tibetan local officials, sign the unequal treaties, and lobby the Tibet’s upper sowing discord. They also interfere in the relationship between the Chinese government and Tibet.Among the representatives in the process of the British invasion of Tibet, Charles Bell is a typical one. In Charles Bell’s early years, he masters Tibetan and has keen interest in Tibetan religion, culture and customs. Served as the Sikkim government affairs officer for many years, he handles the Tibet issue several times on British Government’s behalf. In1904, Bell follows Colonel Younghusband’s Expeditionary Force to invade Tibet. During the period of Dalai Lama fleeing to India in1910, Bell acts as a reception and monitor and draws Dalai Lama over to his side. During the "Simla Conference" held in from1913to1914, Bell works as a British consultant of Tibet Affairs and he is an active planner and participant of the treaty. Due to his special status, Charles Bell associates frequently with Dalai Lama and Tibet high-level noble officials and maintains good personal relations with them. He is one of a few Western "Tibet Expert".Taking the history of British invasion of Tibet at the end of nineteenth Century to the early twentieth Century as the background, this paper discusses the reasons why Charles Bell comes into Tibet and his main activities and purpose. It also inquires into the important role that Bell plays on the Tibet issue in the process of Sino-British negotiations. The change of British invasion policy on Tibet is also influenced by him. By carefully combing, it shows the British policy on Tibet is a process from the armed invasion to the bound of singing treaty. Then the British invaders help the upper strata in Tibet to separate from China and finally try to support Tibetan autonomy independence actually. This paper exposes the despicable act of the invasion in Tibet and the interference in China’s sovereignty made by Britain.