Since March 10, both western and Chinese news media have been dominated by stories about Tibet and the consequences of the recent events there. While the Tibet issue is much discussed, the history of Tibet and China is little understood, often causing misunderstanding and conflict. Professor A. Tom Grunfeld led a conference call discussion for National Committee members on April 16, which included a concise historical overview, a summary of the present situation in Tibet and consideration of the implications of recent events for U.S.-China relations and the Beijing Olympics. Professor Grunfeld is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor at Empire State College, State University of New York. He teaches modern East Asian history specializing in the history of China and Tibet. He has written numerous articles and books about Tibet including, The Making of Modern Tibet, (M. E. Sharpe, 1996).

Click below to listen to the conference call.

MP3 Audio File [1]