Mao and the Tibetan National Flag

Even Mao Zedong had heard about the existence of the Tibetan national flag. In his address to the parliamentarians at the 4th World Parliamentarians' Convention on Tibet held from 18 to 19 November 2005 in Edinburgh, His Holiness said, "Let's now come to the Tibetan national flag. I think some of the present Chinese officials when they see this flag (pointing at the Tibetan national flag) they become angry. They feel it is the sign of a splittist. When I was in China, on one occasion, Chairman Mao asked me whether we have a national flag or not. With a little hesitation, I said, 'Yes'. Then, Chairman Mao encouraged me by saying, You should keep the Tibetan national flag along with the red flag."In his biography, A Tibetan Revolutionary: The Political Life and Times of Bapa Phuntso Wangye, the founder of the Tibetan Communist Party, touches on this incident. He recounts, "Mao perceived that the Dalai Lama was concerned by his question and immediately told him, "That is no problem. You may keep your national flag."