The signing of the 17-article agreement on the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951 was an epoch- making turning point in the history of Tibet, said Legqog, chairman of the regional people's government, on Tuesday.
This was a great victory for the national policy of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and represents the common aspirations and fundamental interests of the Tibetan people and people of all ethnic groups in China, he said on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.
In 1951, the Central People's Government and the local government of Tibet signed an agreement on the peaceful liberation of Tibet on May 23. The agreement had 17 articles.
The signing of the 17 articles was a major event in China's modern history and an inevitable outcome of historical development. It promoted national unity, laid a solid foundation for building a new China and opened vast vistas for the development of Tibet, Legqog said.
It indicated that Tibet, an inseparable part of China, has cast off the yoke of imperialism and returned to the embrace of the motherland.
The signing of the 17 articles was the continuation of the new democratic revolution and the beginning of the democratic reform in Tibet. It provided a basic principle for Tibet's democratic reforms.
(People's Daily 05/22/2001)
