Xi pushes development, ethnic unity in Tibet visit
LHASA
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping waves as he arrives at Lhasa in western China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, to attend an event to mark the 60th anniversary of the consolidation of Beijing's long-contested rule over the Himalayan territory.
President Xi Jinping attended a grand ceremony in Lhasa Thursday during a rare visit to Tibet, where he urged "ethnic unity and religious harmony" in a region where China is accused of rights abuses.
The vast high-altitude area on the country's western edge, established as an autonomous region in 1965, six years after the 14th Dalai Lama fled into exile, was once a hotbed for protests against Communist Party rule.
Rights groups accuse Beijing's leaders of suppressing Tibetan culture and imposing massive surveillance, though authorities claim their policies have fostered stability and rapid economic development in one of China's poorest regions.
"To govern, stabilize and develop Tibet, we must first safeguard political stability, social stability, ethnic unity and religious harmony," Xi, visiting for the first time since 2021, told a group of the region's officials on Aug. 20, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Thursday, party officials lauded the region's progress and urged ethnic unity during an event to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the autonomous region.
The ceremony was held in front of the vast Potala Palace, the ancient residence of Dalai Lamas, Tibetan Buddhism's spiritual leaders.
Wang Huning, China's fourth-ranked leader, called for "deepening the anti-secession struggle and ensuring the consolidation and security of the border areas."
"Any attempt to split the motherland and undermine Tibet's stability is doomed to failure," he said.
A giant portrait of Xi flanked a crowd numbering 20,000, according to CCTV, which included military personnel, school children and other members of Tibetan society, many in traditional Tibetan dress.
