To start with, their claim over the sovereignty of Tibet based upon a 13th-century Mongol conquest stretches goodwill too far. No one denies that Chinese culture and history stretches back more than 3,000 years. But to justify a modern Chinese nation created through military might - whose sovereignty is then reclassified retrospectively - is contrived.

The second mistake Beijing made is that no matter how much financial aid and infrastructure it pours into Tibet, it will not persuade Tibetans to look kindly upon Han Chinese if China continues with its policy of persecuting the Dalai Lama, Tibet's revered spiritual leader.

The third mistake China made is in trying to interfere in Tibet's religious affairs, especially in the selection of a different Panchen Lama from the one selected by the Dalai Lama.

The fourth error is not engaging the Dalai Lama in dialogue while he is still relevant. His political or spiritual successor might have a different approach.

Finally, China's security forces and police in Tibet behave like occupying forces and their actions create resentment.

My advice is to relax the presently enforced restriction on the Tibetan monasteries and their clergy to set up branches and propagate their faith outside Tibet and Qinghai Autonomous Zone.

By opening up the rest of China to Tibetans and even assisting them financially to spread their religion, Tibetans will realise that instead of being a colonised victim, they have inherited a bigger and more prosperous motherland instead.

Tan Keng Leck