Xi in Tibet: China's president makes rare visit to Lhasa; urges political stability, religious harmony
Xi Jinping
arrived in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa on Wednesday and made his rare and second visit as China's leader, marking the 60th anniversary of Tibet's establishment as an autonomous region.
During his visit, Xi emphasised the importance of stability, stating, "To govern, stabilise and develop Tibet, the first thing is to maintain political stability, social stability, ethnic unity and religious harmony," according to Reuters citing state media reports.
Xi last visited Tibet in July 2021, where he encouraged residents to "follow the party." This visit was widely interpreted by external observers as a demonstration of the Communist Party's assurance in maintaining order in a region with a longstanding history of resistance against Chinese rule.
Established in 1965 by the ruling Communist Party, the Tibet Autonomous Region was intended to grant local ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans, greater influence over policy matters and religious freedoms. However, international human rights organisations and exiles frequently describe China's governance in Tibet as "oppressive," a claim that Beijing denies.
Prior to Xi, the last Chinese leader to visit Tibet was Jiang Zemin in 1990.
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Tibet holds significant strategic value for China due to its border with India and its abundance of natural resources, including substantial hydropower potential. The region has experienced border clashes between Chinese and Indian troops over the years.
Recent years have seen the large-scale migration of majority Han Chinese to the high-altitude region, the virtual closure of Tibet to journalists and foreigners, the removal of Tibetan children from their families to boarding schools where they are taught in Mandarin, and the repression of all forms of political or cultural expression outside Communist Party control.
Xi's visit to Tibet and Wang's trip to India- mere coincidence or planned
Xi's visit coincided with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's rare trip to India, where both sides vowed to mend ties strained since the deadly 2020 border clash.
At the same time, Beijing's new hydropower project in Tibet has stirred concern in India over downstream water security. Xi called the project vital for China's carbon goals and to protect Asia's 'water tower.'
China also reasserted its claim to decide the succession of the
Dalai Lama
, now 90 and living in exile in India since fleeing in 1959. The move sparked protests by exiled Tibetans during Wang's visit.
Critics accuse Beijing of intensifying repression in Tibet since the 2008 protests, while China touts poverty reduction and infrastructure gains. Although Beijing insists Tibet has long been part of its territory, many Tibetans maintain they enjoyed de facto independence under their Buddhist theocracy.
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