High-ranking Tibetan Buddhist Bainqen Erdini Qoigyi Gyaincain began a two-month inspection tour of Tibet on July 3. Bainqen, who is Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Honorary President of the Buddhist Association of China, is accompanied by his father, his mother and his teacher of the Buddhist sutra.

Speaking in Lhasa he said, Tibet is an inseparable part of China, the Tibetan nationality is an important member of multinational China and its future and destiny is closely linked with that of the motherland.

Great Changes. In Lhasa, Bainqen inquired after the conditions in the region, heard reports on the work in various fields, inspected factories, hospitals, schools and people's communes in the pastoral areas, and conducted Buddhist services. He described the fundamental changes that have taken place in Tibet as tremendous and encouraging.

Addressing a meeting attended by 1,000 local cadres, Bainqen said: "In recent years, the relationship among the various nationalities in Tibet has further improved, national unity has been strengthened, a large number of Tibetan cadres have taken up leading posts, and agriculture and animal husbandry have made steady and considerable progress. The local handicraft industry has been restored and has developed rapidly, and the people's livelihood has begun to improve."

Bainqen stressed that as Tibet depends on the state and other provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions for funds, equipment and construction materials, they should be used properly so as to enable the Tibetans to enjoy the warmth of the big family of the motherland. He urged them to do still better in all undertakings.

In his speech, Bainqen also said: "We must safeguard the unification of the motherland as carefully as we protect our eyeballs."

Unity Among Tibetan and Han Cadres. Bainqen said that without the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the help of the people and cadres of Han nationality, the Tibetan people would today be still suffering under feudal serfdom. Cadres of Han nationality working in Tibet have established fraternal flesh-and-blood ties with the Tibetan people and the great contributions they have made to the revolution and construction in the region should not be forgotten by the Tibetan people.

In the future, he continued, it will still be necessary for a considerable number of Han nationality cadres to take part in the construction of Tibet and the Tibetan people will always welcome comrades of Han nationality to come to work in Tibet. Numerous facts in the past 30odd years have proved again and again that neither the Han nationality cadres nor the Tibetan cadres could do without the other. In the future, they must work together still harder, and support, respect and help each other.

Dalai's Return Is Welcome. Bainqen shows great concern for the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan compatriots living abroad. He said: "They are living in foreign lands far from their homes and country and their fellow countrymen. No one who loves his own nation can bear this. As a brother of the same Tibetan nationality, I am very much concerned with their circumstances, the Dalai's in particular. He and I are both good Buddhist disciples and successors to the venerable Tsong Kha-pa (founder of the yellow sect of Lamaism) as well as good Buddhist brothers. I am most concerned about him."

Bainqen said that the Chinese Communist Party's policy of looking forward is applicable to Dalai and other Tibetans living abroad. Today when the Tibetans and the other fraternal nationalities are working together to build up the motherland, Dalai and the other Tibetans living abroad can also work for our nation and religion if they return to the motherland, he said.

Bainqen added that the Tibetan nationality is a member of the great family of nationalities of the People's Republic of China. The Tibetans should love their nation and contribute to its progress and prosperity. They can do so only in their own country. The doors of the country are open to all its people who love their motherland, and the freedom to come and go as well as safety are guaranteed. Bainqen expressed his sincere hope that Dalai will make the correct choice and return to China.

(This article appears on page 5, No. 31, 1982)