The Simla convention was a conference that would go on to determine two major topics. Firstly, the conference covered the border lines between inner and outer Tibet,

The Simla convention was a conference that would go on to determine two major topics. Firstly, the conference covered the border lines between inner and outer Tibet, as well as the status of Tibet’s autonomy and sovereignty. The second point of discussion was the McMohan line and the borders between Tibet and British India. 

Following the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in China in 1912, Tibet declared itself to be independent and expelled all local Chinese Forces. This declaration of independence was not received well by the newly formed Republic of China that was the successor to the Qing Dynasty. 

In 1913, Britain called for a conference to determine Tibet’s status and future sovereignty. This conference was attended by representatives from Britain, The Republic of China, and Tibet. 

In order to achieve a degree of compromise, Tibet was to be split into two parts, these being Inner and Outer Tibet respectively. Inner Tibet which had more population centers such as the provinces Qinghai, Suchan, and Yunnan was to be governed by the Republic of China. Contrarily, outer Tibet was to retain a degree of autonomy with the government in Lhasa retaining power, while it would still be a satellite state to the Republic of China.

The other part of the conference pertained to the British Raj. At the conference, the British and Tibetan delegations negotiated this border separately from the Chinese. This would lead to several border disputes between India and China in the decades following due to the Chinese delegation claiming to have only signed the conference itself, but not the treaty which set the conditions.

The treaty itself would end up falling apart due to the Chinese government ordering Ivan Chen, the Chinese delegate, to not accept the terms.

Shimla Convention 1913-1914

0 Comments