Mr. Dalai Lama: Thank you for the letter and gifts you sent me via Mr. Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme.

Since you assumed personal governance, the local government of Tibet has begun to change its previous attitude, responding to the call of the Central People's Government for the peaceful liberation of Tibet by dispatching a plenipotentiary delegation headed by Mr. Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme to Beijing for negotiations.

This measure of yours is entirely correct.

Now, the plenipotentiary representatives of the Central People's Government and the plenipotentiary representatives of the local government of Tibet, on the basis of friendship and after multiple discussions, have signed an agreement on measures for the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

This agreement serves the interests of the Tibetan nationality and the Tibetan people, and at the same time serves the interests of the people of all nationalities throughout China.

Henceforth, the local government of Tibet and the Tibetan people, within the great family of our motherland and under the unified leadership of the Central People's Government, shall forever cast off the shackles of imperialism and the oppression of foreign nations, stand up, and strive for the cause of the Tibetan people themselves.

I hope that you and the local government of Tibet under your leadership will earnestly implement the agreement on measures for the peaceful liberation of Tibet and do your utmost to assist the People's Liberation Army in peacefully entering the Tibet region.

I am specially dispatching Representative Zhang Jingwu to proceed to your location together with your representatives for the purpose of liaison. Should you require his assistance in any matter, you may contact him at any time.

Enclosed are gifts, which I hope you will kindly accept!

Mao Zedong
Chairman of the Central People's Government
May 24, 1951

Published based on the original document preserved in the Central Archives.

Notes
[1] Dalai Lama, i.e., Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, was at the time one of the religious and political leaders of Tibet.
[2] Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme, born in 1910 in Lhasa, Tibet. Former Kalön of the local government of Tibet and Governor of Chamdo, he was at the time the chief representative of the local government of Tibet sent to Beijing for negotiations on the peaceful liberation of Tibet.
[3] Zhang Jingwu (1906–1971), a native of Ling County (now Yanling), Hunan Province. At the time, he served as the representative of the Central People's Government stationed in Tibet.