Now what is China's present position in relation to the status quo and Tibet? In 1911, with the Chinese Revolution, China's long claim as a suzerain power in Tibet came to an end. From 1911 to the present day China's influence and prestige in Tibet has been confined to a pro-Chinese party resident in Lhasa. In 1912 Lien Wu, "the last of the Ambans," left Tibet vid India. With him departed the re-evident Chinese army and with them disappeared China as a suzerain power in Tibet. This altered somewhat peculiarly the original state of things.
After 1911 China's influence in the "Land of the Lamas" was something magical: an Amban's procession through Tibet was magnificent. We saw Wen Tsung-yao crossing the Asiatic Steppes with a retinue of 3,000 anima's Surely this was sufficient to impress. the Tibetans with sheer greatness. China's influence in Tibet is and was greater than that of India or" Britain, simply because it was Chinese influence, pure and simple. Another thing which may account for the greater influence of China in Tibet. Eastern Tibet is undoubtedly well populated and this population is in close proximity to the populous province of Szechuan.: In this manner China had and has better opportunities of in-fluoricing the Tibetans than India or Russia. Again, Chinese are decidedly a colonizing people. You Has anybody a. policy with regard to Tibet? Do India, Russia, China and Tibet smile at the beautiful idea of status quo and its wonderful convenience? This is absolutely certain: Russia is entirely out of the running, China is in a similar position, and India was never in it. The best definition of the status quo is this: Britain invades Tibet and the Dalai Lama runs to Peking. China invades Tibet. and the Dalai runs to Calcutta. Where he would run if Russia invaded, is a matter of mere con-lecture. 7
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.