China has released a white paper that defends its 50 year rule in Tibet. From BBC:
Chinese rule in Tibet had overthrown “the feudal serfdom system” and liberated about one million serfs and slaves, the paper said, likening the move to America’s abolition of slavery.
The government had invested heavily in Tibet and worked to protect Tibetans’ culture and heritage, it said.
Westerners were ignoring historical facts and had “confused right and wrong”, it added.
“In fact, the so-called ‘Tibet issue’ is by no means an ethnic, religious and human rights issue, but rather the western anti-China forces’ attempt to restrain, split and demonise China,” Xinhua quoted the paper as saying.
The State Council Information Office’s white paper can be found here (text in Chinese).
