Ambassador Xu Jainguo had an interview with the Assistant Chief News Editor Anigbogu J. Ngozi, and answered some questions over the recent riots in Tibet and the protests against the Olympic Torch Relay in some western countries as follows:

 

1.     Protests have greeted the International Olympic Torch Relay since its take off from Beijing, these are tied to the issue of Tibet and accusations by some western countries of human rights violations in the Chinese colony. Can you react to this Sir?

A:Firstly, I ' d like to point out that Tibet Autonomous Region, just as other parts of China, is one inalienable part of China not a colony. The 17 ethnic groups in Tibet fully enjoy a status of regional ethnic autonomy. The central and the regional government respect and protect the freedom of all ethnic groups unbiased.

    Secondly, the Beijing Olympic Games is a shared grand sports event for people worldwide. The Olympic torch is for people around the globe and warmly welcomed by the people all over the world.

We express our strong condemnation to the deliberate disruption of the Olympic torch relay by Tibetan separatist forces regardless of the Olympic spirit and the law of related countries. The intention of those saboteurs is very clear. Disrupting and undermining the torch relay which belongs to the people worldwide is a flagrant provocation against the Olympic spirit and Charter and a brazen challenge to the people around the world.

2.     Tibetans first started the protest in which they seek freedom from Chinese rule. What is China's Stand on this?

A: Among the documents at the Archives of the Nationalities Cultural Palace in Beijing are some that hint that a feudal-serfdom institution existed in Tibet before the democratic reform in 1959, which was more brutal than the system of medieval Europe. According to the Thirteen and Sixteen laws - the Tibetan feudal legal codes that were compiled in the 17th and 18th centuries and were applied until 1959 - Tibetans were divided into three social strata within nine grades:

In the upper stratum, the King of Tsang and other rulers belonged to the upper grade; Geshes, teachers of morals, abbots, high-ranking officials, or "headmen who had more than 300 attendants and servants", the middle grade; while "the independent bachelors, servants doing odd-jobs in government offices" were relegated to the upper grade of the lower stratum; "blacksmiths, butchers and beggars who had permanent residence and paid taxes", to the middle grade of the lower stratum; and "women, beggars, butchers and blacksmiths" to the lower grade of the lower stratum "whose life-price was a straw rope".  Documents kept at the Archive of the Tibet Autonomous Region show the monasteries, officials and aristocrats owned, governed and inherited all the arable land and pastures. Figures from the old Tibetan local government from June 1959, which are kept at the Tibet autonomous region's archives, show that of the 3.3 million khals (in Tibetan measurements, about 541,200 acres) of land under cultivation in old Tibet, local government officials owned 1.2 million, or about 39 percent; aristocrats owned 790,000, or 24 percent; and the high clergy owned 1.2 million, or 37 percent. These "manorial lords", accounted for just 5 percent of the population.

The serfs and house-slaves who accounted for 95 percent of the population were the property of serf owners. The serf owners tortured their slaves by chopping off their feet and hands, gouging out their eyeballs, cutting off their tongues or pushing them off cliffs. Based on the above-mentioned fact, how dare the Dalai Clique allege that they are seeking freedom? Under his brutal rule, there is no fundamental freedom for the civilians in Tibet.

On March 14, a serious criminal act of violence involving beating, destruction of property, looting and arson took place in Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region. It was premeditated, organized and instigated by the Dalai Clique and perpetrated by the separatist forces for "Tibet independence" both in and outside China acting in collusion. The incident caused heavy losses of life and property to the local people and seriously undermined law and order.

I have to point out that the incident in Lhasa is a serious criminal act of violence. The purpose is to disrupt social stability, undermine people's harmonious life, sabotage the Beijing Olympics and jeopardize national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. I believe any responsible government under the rule of law will never tolerate such criminal act of violence.  

3.     How can you relate the issue of Tibet to the Taiwan Question?

A:Both Taiwan and Tibet are inalienable parts of China. The secessionists want to split Tibet and Taiwan from China. Their shameless activities have been strongly opposed by the Chinese people all over the world and the international community. Some politicians in western countries with prejudice against China also plot to utilize these issues to disrupt the Beijing Olympics. They are doomed to failure.

4.     Protests against the Olympic Torch Relay have been carried out in London and Paris and even ahead of its debut in US. Do you consider this a ploy by the west to deny China a smooth 2008 holding of the Olympic Games?

A: The Beijing Olympic Games is a shared sports event for people worldwide. The Olympic torch is for people around the globe. Recently, the Olympic Torch Relay has experienced some disturbances organized by the Dalai Clique. Such shameless act seriously tarnished the lofty Olympic spirit. But the Chinese Government and people firmly believe that the Olympic Torch Relay will be successfully concluded despite such noises.

Generally speaking, western countries and the people support the Beijing Olympic Games. Many western countries' leaders will also attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and show their best wishes to the Games. Most of them are opposed to mixing up the Olympic Games and politics. However, a few western politicians and media deliberately turn a blind eye on the violence the Dalai clique premeditated and organized in Lhasa. On the other hand, they use the issue against the Chinese Government and people. These people are confounding black and white out of ulterior motives.

We urge relevant politicians display their due sense of responsibility as political figures by respecting the facts, discarding their prejudices and recognizing the nature of the Dalai clique. They should stop doing things that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and undermine bilateral relations.

5.     In the event the Olympic Torch Relay is suspended, what will be the implication to China?

The Olympic Torch Relay is for people around the globe. We are convinced that with the support of the people all over the world, the Olympic Torch Relay will achieve success. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated on April 8^th that under no circumstances should the Olympic Torch Relay be suspended. The IOC also expressed its deep regret over the deliberate disruption of the Olympic Torch Relay, saying such behavior seriously tarnished the Olympic Sprit and challenged all the people loving the Olympic Games around the world.  We are convinced that nobody can impede the Olympic spirit and the concept of "peace, friendship and progress" represented by the Olympic torch.

 

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say Nigeria is a friend of China. The Nigerians are very kind to the Chinese people. We highly appreciate the support from our Nigerian friends. We sincerely hope that on our way of developing, both China and Nigeria can understand each other, respect each other and support each other.

I also want to persuade our Nigerian friends not to believe the propaganda by the Dalai Clique. Lies and rumors will never cover up the truth.

 

 

Profile of VOICE OF NIGERIA

 

Founded in 1961, the Voice on Nigeria began as the external service of the then Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (now Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria). The station was commissioned by the then Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and commenced operations on the first of January 1962.Since then it has been the hub of the Nigerian broadcasting industry.

In 1989, five Brown Boveri transmitters with antennae system were acquired. On January 5 1990, VON became autonomous, and in 1996, three 250KW Thomcast AG transmitters were commissioned. This boosted VON's transmission to the entire world. The transmitting station is located on 40 hectares at Ipokodo in Ikorodu, in the South western state of Lagos. While the Administrative Headquarters is in Abuja, the Federal Capital, News and Programmers emanate from both the Lagos and Abuja studios.The Voice of Nigeria brodcast in 9 languages: English, French, Arabic, Kiswahili , Hausa , Fulfulde, Igbo , Yoruba.