With so much world wide focus on Tibet, I thought I'd look for another perspective on the relationship between Tibet and China. 

In my experience in China, my students were sure that Tibet belonged to China.  They also regularly wrote in their essays Tibet is mysterious with all the romance and idealism that we white Americans hold for native Americans. 

I found the following essay by Peter Hessler in the Atlantic Monthly.  He gives a good picture of Chinese volunteers who are working in Tibet to assist with development. 

They are good-hearted and well-meaning and to some extent, I'm sure they are helpful.  What they miss is what people who belong to the same group as those who run the government usually miss:  everyone wants to direct their own development. 

Tibet through Chinese eyes