Xi calls for on surprise visit to Tibet
(MENAFN) Chinese President Xi Jinping made an unannounced trip to Tibet, where he addressed a crowd of around 20,000 people to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the autonomous region following China’s annexation.
This was only his second visit to the area since becoming president. During his speech, Xi praised the local authorities for "engaging in a thorough struggle against separatism," a remark seen as a reference to the region’s long-standing resistance to Beijing’s rule.
Xi’s appearance in Lhasa, a city located at a high altitude that can pose health risks, was interpreted by observers as a move to reinforce his authority over the strategically sensitive region.
His remarks made no mention of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader who fled to India in 1959. Instead, Xi emphasized: "To govern, stabilise and develop Tibet, the first thing is to maintain political stability, social stability, ethnic unity and religious harmony," according to an official account of his address.
The visit took place just two months after the Dalai Lama announced that his successor would be chosen by his own office, not by Beijing—contradicting China’s insistence that it holds the authority over the decision.
Now 90, the Dalai Lama continues to promote what he calls a "middle way," advocating genuine autonomy for Tibet within China. However, Beijing dismisses him as a separatist.
Chinese officials maintain that Tibetans enjoy religious freedom, though rights groups argue that Beijing’s policies are steadily eroding the distinct cultural and spiritual identity of the region.
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