Washington, D.C. — "Tibet Was Never Part of China Since Antiquity" is a book by Professor Hon-Shiang Lau that challenges the PRC's claim to historical sovereignty over Tibet. The author used Chinese historical records and proved that Tibet was independent country prior to 1950, countering the narrative that "Tibet has been part of China since ancient times".
Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration, together with author Hon-Shiang Lau, Ambassador Sam Brownback, former US Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, Damon Wilson, President of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and Bhuchung K. Tsering of the International Campaign for Tibet, along with other dignitaries, launched the English version of "Tibet Was Never Part of China Since Antiquity" on January 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C., USA.
During the book launch, the author, Professor Hon-Shiang Lau, detailed the rigorous methodology behind his research, explaining that all documents cited were selected based on three strict criteria. First, the documents must have been written by recognised Chinese government agencies before 1949. Second, these same documents must have been reprinted or republished by the Chinese government after 1949. Third, the documents had to be verifiable in public libraries or publicly accessible databases managed by the People's Republic of China. Professor Lau pointed out that documents meeting these conditions could not be credibly challenged by the Chinese government, as they originate from its own historical corpus.
Professor Hon Shiang Lau wrote this book based on historical archives from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which he believes prove that Tibet was never part of China. His historical evidence includes more than 3,000 years of historical documents such as texts, daily records and historical maps. He once stated that the main purpose of his work was to help the Chinese people understand and know that, contrary to the claims of the Chinese Communist Party, Tibet has never been part of China throughout history.
Professor Lau also pointed out that since the 1950s, the Chinese government has repeatedly relied on distortions and false claims about Tibet's history. Given the need for an approach based on credible evidence, he emphasised the importance of relying on irrefutable sources to counter these narratives. ‘It is unlikely that anyone will take a strong stance against China on behalf of Tibet,’ Professor Lau said, making it all the more essential for Tibetans and their supporters to engage with the Chinese public and inform them directly about the historical realities of Tibet.
Sikyong Penpa Tsering lauded Professor Lau's work, which refuted China's false claims about Tibet using China's own imperial archives. The Sikyong said that in his dealings with leaders of governments around the world, he frequently refers to Professor Lau's research as well as Michael van Walt's Tibet Brief 2020, which is based on legal analysis, to demonstrate that Tibet has never been part of China.
The book launch was organised by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the book was published by Optimum Publishing International. The panel discussion was moderated by Mr Josh Rogin, columnist for the Washington Post.
