While respectful of the division between "internal" and "external" matters, and the need to be clear about what is, and isn't, the business of a foreign actor in getting involved in, having made such huge investments in China, and partnered China in so many areas of its reform process in the last three decades, the UK at least has a right to know that there is progress in governance, in stable and sustainable development, and in political development in China. After all, in many areas on these issues the Chinese Government has welcomed, and embraced, foreign involvement, as long as it sees these as being in the clear interests of China.

Lewis himself in a statement issued via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office afterward, said, "This is a historic visit," made in the context of "our decision to change UK policy, and the significant international concern following the events in March 2008… We recognize Tibet as an autonomous region of China." He went on to say, "But long-term stability can only be achieved through respect for human rights and greater autonomy." There will be people in the UK who feel that Lewis should have been far more aggressive and vociferous in his raising of these issues during his visit, just as there are those who believe he should never have gone in the first place. But generally, visits like this help to create greater understanding, and, however small, improve dialogue, even on the most difficult issues.

It would be good now to see if even the British foreign secretary, Lewis' boss, or Prime Minister Gordon Brown himself, might be able to visit this remarkable, beautiful and extraordinary area. Visits at this level would raise a much more sophisticated understanding in the West of the very complex issues TAR raises, and mean we could all have better informed, more measured conversations about the sustainable, and beneficial governance of the region.

The author is a senior fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in Britain

(The viewpoint in this article does not necessarily represent that of Beijing Review.)