Tibet is almost 50% Han Chinese and they dominate the economy. Expelling them would be catastrophic  Whatever the reasons or the moral legitimacy behind the move, Tibet is a very different place today than it was in 1950. According to the 2000 census, 2.3 million of Tibet’s 7.3 Million citizens are Han Chinese, and if temporary residents are added the numbers nearly double.  In the event Tibet achieves independence it is likely that these Han residents will face discrimination if not open pogroms. Already they are a constant target of riots launched by Tibetan Nationalists, events that often end in the destruction of Han businesses and property.  Such an outcome would not only be morally abhorrent – it would also be catastrophic for Tibet’s economic and political position.  This minority plays a key role in the Tibetan economy, and their departure would create a vacuum that could lead to an economic collapse.  Furthermore, any mistreatment of the Han Minority would likely push Chinese opinion, already of the view that the Tibetans are coddled according to Faread Zakaria, into support for military intervention.  The Economist’s James Miles remarked of the 2008 riots that "What I saw was calculated targeted violence against an ethnic group, or I should say two ethnic groups, primarily ethnic Han Chinese living in Lhasa, but also members of the Muslim Hui minority in Lhasa." [1]  [1] ‘Transcript: James Miles interview on Tibet’, CNN, 20 March 2008,