After the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912, Tibet declared independence and established a functioning government with its own army, currency, and foreign relations. During this period, Tibet operated as a de facto independent state, negotiating treaties and maintaining borders recognized by neighboring countries. China, weakened by internal turmoil, never exercised effective control over Tibet, and attempts to assert sovereignty were largely symbolic and ignored in practice. By 1950, Tibet’s independent governance made the CCP’s subsequent military “liberation” a forceful occupation rather than a reunification.