China/Tibet

China reopens Tibet to tourists

Article published on the 2008-06-25 Latest update 2008-06-25 14:37 TU

The Olympic Torch during its relay through Lhassa, 21 June 2008.
(Photo : Reuters)

China re-opened Tibet to foreign visitors Wednesday, after months of near-total isolation following protests there in March. China claimed victory over the pro-independence protests in Tibet after the Olympic torch relay passed through Lhassa, its capital, on Saturday without incident.

This event proved that order has been restored, a government spokesperson wrote on the Tibet government website.

March’s violent protests in Tibet were accompanied by protests around the world during the Olympic torch relay. Tibetan freedom rallies dogged the torch as it visited major cities worldwide, threatening to tarnish China’s international image in the lead up to the Olympics, which are being used to demonstrate China’s competence and capabilities to the international community.

With the Olympic Games set to open in Beijing in just over a month, China needed to lift the Tibetan lock-down in order to avoid international criticism. The Chinese government, however, will likely continue to make life difficult for tourists trying to reach the Himalayan region, despite the travel ban lift, say Tibet experts and tour guides.

A large military presence remains in Tibet, say international humanitarian organizations, and journalists remain barred from the region.

Tibetan leaders say that 203 people died in the Chinese clampdown on March’s protests, while the Chinese government claims that it is responsible for one death, and that an additional 21 were killed by “rioters”.