First visit of President Xi Jinping to Tibet

Chinese President Xi Jinping made an unannounced visit on Thursday to Tibet, a region belonging to China where the government plans to expand its control. That reported state media on Friday night. It was Xi’s first trip to the Tibet Autonomous Region in this position, having been there ten years ago as vice president. The president congratulated Tibet on its ’70th anniversary’; Tibet was annexed by China in 1951 after the army invaded the region. China refers to it as “the peaceful liberation of Tibet.”

These kinds of presidential visits are uncommon; the last time a Chinese president visited the area was in 1990. Control over the Buddhist monasteries and education in the Tibetan area is being extended by the Chinese authorities. Public opponents of the policy were given long prison terms. According to China, the elected and exiled Tibetan government is trying to declare the area independent. The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of the Tibetans, is also accused of this.

Xi visited several key locations in the Tibetan capital Lhasa during his visit, state media reported. According to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Xi visited the region to learn more about the ancient city and the “protection of Tibetan culture.”

Also read: The real truth of Tibet

–