China's view is that Tibet, as controlled from the times of the Yuan Dynasty, is a part of China. Modern Tibetans dispute the claim.
Chinese, in the main, strongly support the Chinese government's view.
Since Tibetans during much of that long period from Yuan times to recently were allowed to pretty much control their own affairs, there is justification for both views. Our ideas of individual freedom under the system that developed into democracy as western nations know it would not have been encouraged under either view.
Two Distinct Views

Our form of democracy should not be imposed on the Chinese, whose ideas of tranquility depend on centralized government from the top, and the individuals responsibility to authority. Many Chinese are familiar with European democracy and its lack of centralized belief and action, but it may be 3-4 generations before they accept it for the nation as a whole.

The visit of the flame to San Francisco ended in fiasco because of the city's fear of violent conflict between the many Chinese in San Francisco who look with favor on their government's actions and
protesters supporting various dissents based on western ideas of democracy.