China warns others not to meddle in Tibetan affairs

China's top political advisor on Thursday warned external forces not to interfere in Tibetan affairs when China celebrated the 70th anniversary of the annexation of the area. A ceremony was held in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, by China's ruling party to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Tibet's "peaceful liberation." Wang Yang, a high-ranking Communist Party official, led a delegation to attend celebrations.

During his speech, Wang Yang warned external forces not to interfere in the Tibetan affairs. "The 70-year history of Tibet's development has proved that unity and stability are blessings and division and unrest are disasters," Wang said in his address. You Quan, head of the ruling party's United Front Work Department, claimed in his speech that Tibet society is at a high point historically.

China says Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say they were effectively an independent nation for most of that time. Beijing's control was most recently asserted when the Communist Party's military wing, the People's Liberation Army, invaded the region in 1950.