The United States officially recognizes Tibet as a part of China.

One section, for example, directs the President to recognize Tibet as a "sovereign country" and send an ambassador to the Dalai Lama's "government" in exile.

The bill would create the position of special envoy to Tibet, but it would not require the President to recognize Tibet as a sovereign nation.

The event also formally recognises Tibet as part of China by India and Sikkim's accession to India.

This longstanding policy is consistent with the view of the entire international community, including all China's neighbors: no country recognizes Tibet as a sovereign state.

Bessac always felt that, had Mackiernan not been killed, he might have had time to convince Washington to recognise Tibet soon enough to preserve it as a sovereign state.

Washington does not recognize Tibet, and the agreement to receive "displaced Tibetans" was an apparent shift in policy.

He recognised Tibet as a part of China, which was welcomed by the Chinese leadership, who in the following year, recognised Sikkim, as a part of India.

All foreign powers have recognized Tibet as part of China from the earliest treaties in the 19th century.

In 1956, both nations signed a new treaty terminating the Treaty of Thapathali of 1856 and Nepal recognised Tibet as a part of China.