An Analysis And Discussion On Russian Policy Toward China's Tibet (1894-1917)

Due to its special geographical location, Tibet has a very important and special strategic position in the world's political structure. Late 1800s, with the China's door opening and the western powers entering, Tibet was violated repeatedly by foreign invaders. At the same time, Tsarist Russia's expansion in eastern Europe fell into obstacles, it then joined the invading of Tibet. Using its subjects'belief in Lamaism and religious ties with Tibet, Tsarist Russia sent a special envoy in the name of religious to enter into Tibet to induce the Dalai Lama's pro-Russian tendency and promoted the Dalai Lama leave for Kulun for seeking Russian assistance when the British force arrived in Lhasa in 1904. During Dalai Lama's staying in Kulun, Tsarist Russia attempted to draw him over to its side to enlarge Russia's influence in Tibet. Tsarist Russia's series covert and open policies on Tibet had an important impact on the change of Tibet situation as well as the formation of the early separatist tendencies among Tibetan upper classes headed by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama.This paper holds dialectical materialism and historical materialism as guidance, uses comprehensive approaches of history and international politics, makes full use of Russia Foreign Ministry archives and related documents, studies the Russian policy on Tibet during Nicholas II, especially investigates the history of Tsarist Russia induced the 13th Dalai Lama moved to Kulun, drew in and tempted him , intervened the issue of Dalai Lama's returning to Tibet and keep close ties with the Dalai Lama who fled to India. This paper's tries to reveal the essential of the Tsarist Russia's policy on Tibet of China namely the use of the Dalai Lama's Religious Influence to increase its impact on Tibet and Mongolia.This paper is divided into four parts:The first part introduces Tsarist Russia's ambitions and strategic objectives on China's Tibet, expound Tsarist Russia started to pay attention from the strategic position of Tibet since the time of Tsar Peter I and introduces Russian"scientific expedition"took various aggressive spying activities for collecting informations.The second part analyzes the development and changes between Tsarist Russia and the local government of Tibet, discusses Tsarist Russia used the religious relations between Buryats in its own country and Lamaism in Tibet, attracts the 13th Dalai Lama and Tibetan upper ruling class and fosters the pro-Russian trend of Tibetan upper ruling rank in order to cause Russian power smoothly to go deep into Tibet. After the defeat in Russo-Japanese War, Tsarist Russia was forced to change its strategy on Tibet and in turn to carry out retrenchment strategy to promote the 13th Dalai Lama who lived in Kulun to keep his pro-Russian position.The third part discusses the event that the 13th Dalai Lama fled to India, briefly analyzes Tsarist Russia's policy on Tibet during this period was based on the principle of written interference. After the signature of "Agreement of Tibet" of 1907 it followed the pace of the United Kingdom on the Tibetan issue and refused to recognize the Treaty of friendship and alliance between the Government of Mongolia and Tibet plotted by Agvan Dorjiev. Tsarist Russia's policy on Tibet was based on the principle of retrenchment strategy.The fourth part comments on the nature and its major features of Tsarist Russia's policy on China's Tibet. During the period of Nicholas II, Tsarist Russia's policy on Tibet due to its pursuit of world hegemony and the strategic adjustment of interest of the Far East, and constantly adjust its Tibetan policy according to complicated changes of domestic and overseas situations,. Russian policy has a feature of dual nature: aggressiveness and contractibility.Aforesaid policy of Tsarist Russia seriously influenced the stabilization of the Tibet situation and the safety of China's sovereignty. This paper fully analyzes and explores the origin, development, change and influence of Tsarist Russia's policy on China's Tibet, reveals the true intention of Tsarist Russia to divide China's Tibet, makes clear to all:"Tibetan issue"is a"history fallacy"which imposed on China of the collusion between Russia and British imperialism which served the action of invasion of Tibet, and gives back the history a fair and reasonable truth.