(October 6, 1959)
Nine months have passed since my last conversation with you.¹ During this period, the Tibet issue has caused a slight ripple in the relations between our two countries. In my view, this is a temporary and partial problem, because in the long history of our two countries, friendship has been the dominant factor. This recent ripple is a temporary and partial phenomenon, and it should be viewed as such. It will not hinder our fundamental friendship, nor should it be allowed to do so. Both our countries are Asian nations, although their social systems differ—one is a socialist country, the other a bourgeois democratic country. In any case, India is different from the Western countries. Now, both sides have agreed to negotiate on the boundary question, which is very good. Disputes must always be resolved through negotiations. What is your view on the negotiations? Is there hope?

If the Dalai Lama agrees with our propositions, we hope he will return. So long as he agrees to two points—first, that Tibet is a part of China, and second, that democratic reforms and socialist reforms must be carried out in Tibet—he can come back. Nehru² does not oppose these two points; Nehru recognizes that Tibet is a part of China and has also said that reforms should be carried out in Tibet. However, up to now, the Dalai Lama has opposed both points. Things in the world often change. The only female Living Buddha of Tibet³ has already returned from India. Therefore, it is better to leave some room for maneuver. You⁴ said that Nehru laughed upon hearing your words, thinking that we do not welcome the Dalai Lama. If the Dalai Lama does not change his current attitude on the above two points, we will not welcome him; if he changes his attitude, we will truly welcome him. At present, it is very difficult for the Dalai Lama to change his attitude and agree not to split the country and to support democratic reforms and socialist reforms in Tibet. But once the world situation changes, circumstances will be different. Haven’t many White Russians already returned to their country? The Dalai Lama is still young; he is only in his twenties.

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¹ This is part of Mao Zedong’s conversation with a delegation of the Communist Party of India. The Dalai Lama, namely Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, fled to India in March 1959 when the reactionary clique of the Tibetan upper strata launched an armed rebellion. At that time, he still retained his two previously held posts of Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Chairman of the Preparatory Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
² Referring to Ajoy Ghosh (1909–1962), then General Secretary of the Communist Party of India.
³ Referring to Samding Dorje Phagmo, born in 1942, a native of Mengga (now part of Nyemo) in Tibet, the Living Buddha of Samding Monastery.
⁴ Referring to B. T. Ranadive (Gupta) (1914–1982), then member of the Central Executive Committee and Secretary of the Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of India. During the meeting, he said: “I once stated in Parliament that the issue of political asylum does not arise for the Dalai Lama, because he is the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China. Nehru laughed upon hearing my words, because he thought that China’s election of the Dalai Lama as Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee was not a genuine desire to have him, but a tactic.”