CONTROL OF SIKANG

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27570, 12 December 1950, Page 7

CONTROL OF SIKANG

Chinese Form Autonomous Government NZPA —Reuter—Copyright Rec. 9.5 p.m. HONGKONG, Dec. 11. The Chinese Communists have apparently established an “ autonomous People’s Government” in Western Sikang province which is manly inhabited by Tibetans. The pro-Com-munist newspaper, Takung Pao, quoting an official news agency despatch from Peking, said today that the Adminstration Council (the Cabinet) of the Central People’s Government on Saturday appointed officials for the new “ autonomous ” Government. The area affected was not defined other than being described as the part of Sikang occupied by Tibetans. This region was formerly regarded as under the Dalai Lama at The despatch named Tien Pao as chairman of the new .Government. Tien Pao is a Tibetan, who has been closely associated with the Chinese Communist Party since 1943, and is at present a member of the Chinese Communist south-west Administrative and Military Commission. Three Tibetans and one Chinese have been appointed vice-chairmen of the new area. They are all members of the Sikang Provincial Government which will apparently continue to control Eastern Sikang.