In early 1989 when the 10th Panchen Lama, another grand living Buddha of Tibet , passed away, then Chairman of the Buddhist Association of China Zhao Puchu personally handed a letter to the Dalai Lama's private envoy in which he invited the Dalai Lama to return to China for mourning ceremonies.

However, he refused the invitation and missed a valuable chance to talk with the Chinese government face to face, despite having frequently said he was homesick.

During an anti-China whirlwind in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Dalai Lama and his followers immediately tuned their attitude towards "negotiations with China" -- he was in no hurry to talk with the Chinese government that he thought would "collapse" soon.

Dealing with such a person, who can blow hot and cold, the Chinese government has shown the greatest patience.

At this year's legislative season, Premier Wen Jiabao reiterated that the door of dialogue remains open to the Dalai Lama, so long as he gives up "Tibet independence", stops splitting and sabotaging activities, and recognizes Tibet and Taiwan as inalienable parts of the Chinese territory.

This week, the Dalai Lama told U.S. media: "The Chinese government wants me to say that for many centuries Tibet has been part of China. Even if I make that statement, many people would just laugh. And my statement will not change past history. History is history."

Yes, history is history. Judging from the history of the 14th Dalai Lama, he just did not act as he said. It was the Dalai Lama clique that closed the door of dialogue.

(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2008)