Devendra Kumar
Xi Jinping’s third trip to the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) underscores its importance to his agenda at the national level. His Tibet policy emphasizes regional stability, economic development, ecological conservation, and border defense, but the top priority remains stability.
The ceremony, which celebrated the TAR’s 60th anniversary, saw low public attendance, undermining the Party’s narrative of ethnic unity and “unwavering support” for the Party-state’s policies in the region.
The sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism and culture serves to sever religious, cultural, and political links across borders, reinforcing the CCP’s control of lama reincarnation.
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Lhasa on August 20–21, to participate in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR; 西藏自治区). Xi’s itinerary included attending a ceremony in Lhasa and a visit to the region’s party committee. His limited participation in the ceremony itself suggests that his visit may have been decided on relatively short notice. Xi nevertheless traveled with a powerful delegation, including senior Party leaders such as Wang Huning (王沪宁), the chairperson of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and fourth-ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC). [1] Wang and others remained in the TAR for two additional days after Xi departed on August 21 (Xinhua, August 21).
The backdrop to the visit was the Dalai Lama’s decision in July that Tibetans will be responsible for recognizing his successor, without interference from CCP authorities (Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, July 2). This decision has been denounced by officials, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson claiming that succession is “determined by the central government” (由中央政府确定的) and ambassadors warning that suggestions otherwise are “purely malicious misrepresentation and distortion” (纯属恶意篡改和歪曲) (MFA, March 11, June 2, July 1). Xi’s visit underlines the confidence among his advisors about the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) current policies for reinforcing control and legitimacy in the region. It also indicates Tibet’s importance to Xi’s agenda at the national level.
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