Clarifying Facts from Myths: Tibet’s Relation with China

An acclaimed academic and China expert, Prof. Lau Han Shiang will deliver a public talk on Tibet’s Relations with China by differentiating facts from myths at University of Westminster, London

LAU Hon-Shiang’s ancestry (祖籍) is the Hua County of Guangdong Province (广东花县). He was born and educated in Singapore. He obtained his Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng.) from the University of Singapore in 1969, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US in 1973.

Through his talk, Prof. Lau, author of the book ‘Tibet Was Never Part of China Since Antiquity’, will deconstruct PRC’s tall claims about Tibet by analysing the evolution of this claim. Having carried out years of extensive research into official Chinese sources and historical records to study the Sino-Tibetan relationship over successive dynasties, Prof. Lau will present his findings in a way that will dispel several myths about this relationship and help clarify facts from myths.

Prof. Lau argues that in the ancient Chinese historical documents, as shown above, Laos, Burma and Northern Thailand has been mentioned as part of the Ming Empire whereas Tibet is shown right after Japan and Korea as the Foreign country. These documents are available on the internet and were published between the Yuan Dynasty and ROC (Republic of China) and later republished and reprinted by PRC.

Organised by the University of Westminster‘s Students group called Tibet Society, this event will be held on Monday, 22nd January 2024 from 6.30pm to 8pm at Fyvie Hall, Regent Street, London, UK309 Regent Street London W1B 2HT. Book your FREE Ticket via EventBrite!

The University of Westminster has hosted many public events related to Tibet and China over the past fifteen years. The university has also hosted prominent figures from the exiled Tibetan diaspora, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama as well as elected political leaders of the Central Tibetan Administration – Dr Lobsang Sangay and Mr Penpa Tsering. The university has also hosted seminars and conferences with scholars and government officials from Tibet and China, providing independent platforms to engage in candid academic and public discourses on the pertinent Sino-Tibetan relations. Prof. Dibyesh Anand, who is currently Interim Deputy Vice Chancellor at the university, is to be credited for his continued effort during these past two decades engaging with external stakeholders.

Useful Link

Tibet was Never Part of China Before 1950: Examples of Authoritative pre-1949
Chinese Documents that Prove It