On August 20, 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a rare and highly symbolic visit to Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, to mark the 60th anniversary of the consolidation of Beijing’s rule over the Himalayan territory. The event, as reported by Xinhua News Agency and other state-run outlets, was meticulously choreographed: about 20,000 officials and local residents from all ethnic backgrounds gathered to welcome Xi, waving flowers and dancing to festive music. The celebration continued the following morning with a grand rally and a parade featuring 26 marching contingents and colorful floats, all set against the iconic backdrop of the Potala Palace.
Xi’s presence in Lhasa was more than ceremonial. It marked the first time a Chinese president has attended the once-a-decade celebrations commemorating the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region in 1965 under Mao Zedong’s government. According to the Independent, Xi is now the oldest top Chinese leader to visit Lhasa, at 72 years old. His visit comes at a moment of heightened sensitivity, both internally and internationally, as Beijing faces questions about its governance model in Tibet and prepares for a looming struggle over the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama, who recently turned 90 and remains in exile in India after fleeing Chinese rule in 1959.
During his stay, Xi delivered a clear message: the future of Tibet lies in a “modern socialist” society that is “united, prosperous, civilised, harmonious and beautiful.” He emphasized that “to govern Tibet and make it stable and prosperous, the priority must be maintaining Tibet’s political order, social stability, ethnic unity and religious harmony,” according to state media. Xi called for tighter oversight of religious affairs, urging officials to “guide Tibetan Buddhism to adapt to socialist society” and to “unremittingly use the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics to unite the hearts and minds of the people, and guide cadres and the masses of all ethnic groups to listen to and follow the (Communist) Party.”
The symbolism of Xi’s visit was not lost on local and international observers. Communist Party cadres waved Chinese flags, People’s Liberation Army soldiers marched with rifles, and Tibetans in traditional robes performed dances before a massive crowd in Potala Palace Square. Giant portraits of Xi—alone and with his predecessors—flanked the festivities. Schoolchildren clapped in unison during official speeches, a detail noted by CNN as a sign of the event’s highly orchestrated nature. Xi did not speak at the Thursday ceremony, but his presence alone broke with precedent: in past decades, only senior Communist Party leaders—not the top leader—attended such milestone anniversaries in Tibet.
Yet beneath the pageantry, tension simmers. The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, remains a potent symbol of Tibetan identity and resistance. Beijing brands him a dangerous “separatist,” blaming him for instigating protests, unrest, and self-immolations against Communist Party rule. The Dalai Lama, on the other hand, insists he seeks “genuine autonomy for Tibet, not full independence”—a nonviolent “middle way” approach that has garnered international support. In a memoir published in March and in recent public statements, the Dalai Lama has made it clear that his office alone will identify his successor, a direct challenge to Beijing, which insists on its right to appoint the next Dalai Lama. This standoff could lead to the emergence of two rival Dalai Lamas—one chosen by Tibetan spiritual tradition, the other by the Chinese Communist Party.
Xi’s visit comes at a time when, according to critics and Tibetan rights groups, repression in Tibet has grown more entrenched. After the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region in 1965, decades of political repression followed, marked by the destruction of monasteries and the jailing of monks. In more recent years, Beijing has tightened its grip through mass migration of Han Chinese to the high-altitude region, strict limits on foreign access, the separation of Tibetan children into Mandarin-only boarding schools, and sweeping curbs on any political or cultural expression beyond China’s control. The region remains largely closed to journalists and foreigners, making independent verification of conditions difficult.
Despite these criticisms, Chinese officials tout Tibet’s economic development, poverty reduction, and infrastructure projects as evidence of progress. During the visit, Xi promoted major initiatives, including the $167 billion Yarlung Tsangpo mega-dam and the Sichuan-Tibet railway. He described the hydropower project as essential for China’s carbon reduction goals and for protecting Asia’s “water tower”—a reference to Tibet’s crucial role in feeding the continent’s major rivers. Xi stated these projects “must be advanced forcefully, systematically, and effectively,” underscoring their strategic and political significance. However, these mega-projects have unsettled India, which lies downstream and has its own concerns about water security and regional stability.
Xi’s trip also coincided with a rare visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India, where both sides pledged to rebuild ties damaged by a deadly 2020 border clash involving troops from both countries. Tibet’s strategic location on the border with India adds another layer of complexity to the region’s already fraught geopolitics.
For Tibetan exiles and rights advocates, the anniversary was less a cause for celebration than a painful reminder of what they describe as “China’s colonial occupation.” Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, told the Independent, “This unprecedented and high-ranking delegation to Tibet on the 60th anniversary of the creation of a so-called Tibet Autonomous Region reflects China’s deep insecurity in Tibet and the need to perform leadership and assert their authority in Tibet.” He added, “It is important to remember that Xi Jinping is in Tibet to project strength, stability, and legitimacy on the 60th anniversary of the creation of a Tibetan ‘Autonomous’ Region that denied Tibetans autonomy at its inception and is now even working to erase Tibet by replacing the name ‘Tibet’ with its Chinese term ‘Xizang’.”
Other exiled officials echoed these sentiments. Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa, an official from the Dalai Lama’s office in northern India, told The New York Times that “the Chinese have found themselves on the back foot,” arguing that Xi’s visit was another attempt to “legitimise its occupation of Tibet,” especially after the Dalai Lama reaffirmed that his successor would be chosen in the traditional way. Dorjee Tseten, Asia Program Manager at the Tibet Action Institute, stated, “For Tibetans, the anniversary of the People’s Republic of China’s creation of the Tibet Autonomous Region is no cause of celebration, but a painful reminder of China’s colonial occupation. Tibet remains one of China’s greatest challenges, and Tibetans will never accept Beijing’s imposed succession plan for the Dalai Lama.”
As the dust settles on Xi’s high-profile visit, the core issues remain unresolved. Beijing’s push for political stability, ethnic unity, and religious harmony in Tibet stands in stark contrast to the deep sense of loss and resistance felt among many Tibetans and their supporters worldwide. The question of the Dalai Lama’s succession looms large, threatening to ignite a new chapter in the long-running contest for the soul of Tibet. The world watches, wondering how this delicate and often invisible struggle will unfold in the years ahead.