Seventeen-Point Plan for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet (1951)

agreement signed in 1951 between representatives of the Tibetan government with CCP leaders laying out the points by which Tibet would accept Chinese sovereignty over Tibet.

Both sides renounced the agreement in 1959, and the Dalai Lama established a government in exile in neighboring India.

After the founding of the Republic in 1912, the central government in Beijing and then the Nationalist government in Nanjing had little or no official presence in Tibet. Tibet's autonomy from Chinese rule came to an end with the rise of the PRC, who once again claimed sovereignty over Tibet. With no nations willing to recognize them diplomatically and being no match militarily for the PLA, the Tibetan government sent a delegation to Beijing to negotiate a peaceful resolution. The resulting Seventeen-Point Agreement (largely written by the PRC and presented to the Tibetan representatives) established the guidelines by which China and Tibet would engage one another. The document marks the first time both the Chinese and Tibetan governments explicitly acknowledged that Tibet was under Chinese sovereignty. Mao Zedong, believing Tibet would soon see the benefits of the Communist revolution, agreed to allow the Dalai and Pan- chen Lamas to retain their religio-cultural positions as the top representatives of the political system. Relative to the political settlements Beijing made with other ethnically non-Chinese regions, Tibet retained considerable autonomy for its traditional government. The Dalai Lama, much to his and his close officials' surprise, only learned of the agreement after it had been signed. After some months of heated discussion, the Dalai Lama sent Mao Zedong a telegram in October 1951 indicating his acceptance of the terms laid out in the Seventeen- Point Plan.

Questions

• 1. What guarantees did the Seventeen-Point Plan promise Tibetans?
• 2. What did China gain from such an agreement?

THE AGREEMENT OF THE CENTRAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF TIBET ON MEASURES FOR THE PEACEFUL LIBERATION OF TIBET

• 1. The Tibetan people shall be united and drive out the imperialist aggressive forces from Tibet; that the Tibetan people shall return to the big family of the motherland—the People's Republic of China.
• 2. The Local Government of Tibet shall actively assist the People's Liberation Army to enter Tibet and consolidate the national defenses.
• 3. In accordance with the policy towards nationalities laid down in the Common Program of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Tibetan people have the right of exercising national regional autonomy under the unified leadership of the Central People's Government.
• 4. The Central Authorities will not alter the existing political system in Tibet. The Central Authorities also will not alter the established status, functions and powers of the Dalai Lama. Officials of various ranks shall hold office as usual.
• 5. The established status, functions, and powers of the Panchen [Lama] shall be maintained.
• 6. By the established status, functions and powers of the Dalai Lama and of the Panchen [Lama] is meant the status, functions and powers of the 13th Dalai Lama and of the 9th Panchen [Lama] when they were in friendly and amicable relations with each other.

• 7. The policy of freedom of religious belief laid down in the Common Program of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference will be protected. The Central Authorities will not effect any change in the income of the monasteries.
• 8. The Tibetan troops will be reorganized step by step into the People's Liberation Army, and become a part of the national defense forces of the Central People's Government.
• 9. The spoken and written language and school education of the Tibetan nationality will be developed step by step in accordance with the actual conditions in Tibet.
• 10. Tibetan agriculture, livestock raising, industry and commerce will be developed step by step, and the people's livelihood shall be improved step by step in accordance with the actual conditions in Tibet.
• 11. In matters related to various reforms in Tibet, there will be no compulsion on the part of the Central Authorities. The Local Government of Tibet should carry out reforms of its own accord, and when the people raise demands for reform, they must be settled through consultation with the leading personnel of Tibet.
• 12. In so far as former pro-imperialist and pro-KMT officials resolutely sever relations with imperialism and the KMT and do not engage in sabotage or resistance, they may continue to hold office irrespective of their past.
• 13. The People's Liberation Army entering Tibet will abide by the above- mentioned policies and will also be fair in all buying and selling and will not arbitrarily take even a needle or a thread from the people.
• 14. The Central People's Government will handle all external affairs of the area of Tibet; and there will be peaceful co-existence with neighboring countries and the establishment and development of fair commercial and trading relations with them on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and mutual respect for territory and sovereignty.
• 15. In order to ensure the implementation of this agreement, the Central People's Government will set up a military and administrative committee and a military area headquarters in Tibet, and apart from the personnel sent there by the Central People's Government it will absorb as many local Tibetan personnel as possible to take part in the work. Local Tibetan personnel taking part in the military and administrative committee may include patriotic elements from the Local Government of Tibet, various district and various principal monasteries; the name list is to be prepared after consultation between the representatives designated by the Central People's Government and various quarters concerned, and is to be submitted to the Central People's Government for approval.
• 16. Funds needed by the military and administrative committee, the military area headquarters and the People's Liberation Army entering Tibet will be provided by the Central People's Government. The Local Government of Tibet should assist the People's Liberation Army in the purchases and transportation of food, fodder, and other daily necessities.
• 17. This agreement shall come into force immediately after signatures and seals are affixed to it.

Signed and sealed by delegates of the Central People's Government with full

Chief Delegate: Li Weihan (Chairman of the Commission of Nationalities Affairs);

Zhang Jingwu Zhang Guohua Sun Zhiyuan

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Delegates with full powers of the Local Government of Tibet: Chief Delegate: Kaloon Ngabou Ngawang Jigme (Ngabo Shape) Delegates:

Dzasak Khemey Sonam Wangdi Khentrung Thuptan Tenthar,

Khenchung Thuptan Lekmuun Rimshi,

Samposey Tenzin Thondup