清朝(1644-1911年)时期，由理藩院(清末改为理藩部)主管西藏事务。1653年和1713年清朝皇帝册封兴起于明末的格鲁派达赖世系和班禅世系，后来又建立金瓶掣签制度，完善了活佛转世制度。1727年，清朝中央在西藏建立驻藏大臣制度。1751年，乾隆皇帝授命七世达赖执政，建立噶厦，设噶伦四人。1793年，颁布《钦定藏内善后章程二十九条》，加强了对西藏的管理。

　　中华民国(1912—1949年)时期，中央政府继续对西藏实施主权管辖。1912年，中央政府设立蒙藏事务局，1914年改为蒙藏院，取代了清朝末年的理藩部职能，派驻藏办事长官履行驻藏大臣职权。1929年，国民政府设立蒙藏委员会，行使对西藏的行政管辖。1940年，国民政府在拉萨设立蒙藏委员会驻藏办事处。《中华民国国会组织法》规定了西藏地方民众参加选举的办法和被选举的议员直接参政的权利。十四世达赖和十世班禅的认定、坐床，均经当时的中华民国政府批准。

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the Court of Tribal Affairs (later the Ministry of Tribal Affairs) took charge of Tibetan affairs. In 1653 and 1713, the Qing emperors conferred the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Erdenis of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism that appeared in the late Ming Dynasty, and established the system of lot-drawing from the golden urn to confirm the reincarnated soul boy of a deceased Living Buddha. In 1727, the Qing government started to station grand ministers resident in Tibet. In 1751, Emperor Qianlong appointed the Seventh Dalai Lama to administer the local government of Tibet, established the Kashag (cabinet) composed of four Kalons (ministers). In 1793, Ordinance by the Imperial House Concerning Better Governance of Tibet (the "29 Articles") was promulgated to enhance the Qing court's administration of Tibet.

The central government continued to exercise sovereignty over Tibet during the Republic of China period (1912-1949). In 1912, the central government established the Bureau of Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs (renamed the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Yuan in 1914) to replace the late Qing's Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and dispatched the commissioner resident in Tibet to exercise the functions and power of the grand minister resident in Tibet. In 1929, the nationalist government established the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission to exercise administrative jurisdiction of Tibet. In 1940, the nationalist government set up the Tibet Office of the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission in Lhasa. The Organic Law of the Congress of the Republic of China stipulated the methods whereby the people of Tibet would participate in elections, and the rights of elected congressmen from Tibet to directly participate in deliberation and administration of state affairs. The identification and enthronement of both the 14th Dalai Lama and the 10th Panchen Erdeni were approved by the government of the Republic of China.

　　中国共产党从1921年诞生起就主张中国各民族平等团结，积极探索实现民族平等、解决民族问题的道路。1949年中华人民共和国建立后，中国政府把坚持各民族一律平等、团结、互助、友爱和共同发展、共同繁荣作为解决民族问题、处理民族关系的基本原则。考虑中国的历史国情和近现代社会发展的实际条件，新中国在选择国家结构形式时，没有选择复合制的形式，而是选择了单一制的形式，确定在国家的统一领导下，在少数民族地区实行民族区域自治制度，保证少数民族在国家生活中享有当家作主的权利。

　　民族区域自治，是中国这样一个统一的多民族国家解决民族问题、处理民族关系的正确选择。中国的民族区域自治，是在国家统一领导下的自治，各民族自治地方都是国家不可分离的部分，各民族自治地方的自治机关都必须服从中央的领导。

Since its birth in 1921, the CPC has supported ethnic equality and unity in China, vigorously exploring the path through which to achieve ethnic equality and resolve ethnic issues. Since the founding of the PRC in 1949, the Chinese government has promoted equality, unity, mutual support, fraternity, and common development and prosperity among all ethnic groups as fundamental principles under which to address ethnic issues and relations. Taking into consideration China's history and social conditions in modern times, the PRC did not choose the composite system (also known as the federal system) for its state structure, but the unitary system instead; it decided to exercise regional ethnic autonomy in areas inhabited by minority ethnic groups under unified state leadership, thus to ensure that ethnic minorities enjoy the rights of being masters of the country.

Regional ethnic autonomy is the correct choice for China, a unified multiethnic country, to address ethnic issues and relations. China's regional ethnic autonomy is a form of autonomy under unified state leadership. All ethnic autonomous areas are inseparable from the country, and the organs of self-government of all ethnic autonomous areas shall be subject to the central government's leadership.