“If these values are embraced”, the Dalai Lama said, “many important problems relating to minority nationalities can be resolved, such as the issue of Tibet, as well as Eastern Turkistan, and Inner Mongolia, where the native people now constitute only 20 per cent of a total population of 24 million.” (Eastern Turkistan refers to the Xinjiang province).

Seen from this perspective, the Dalai Lama’s case involves a lot more than autonomy. It is about constructing a China that accepts internal diversity and upholds the principles of pluralism and federalism.

The writer is professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore iscrmohan@ntu.edu.sg