Thousands of Tibetans gathered in the heart of Lhasa on August 21, 2025, waving red flags and singing patriotic songs, as China marked the 60th anniversary of the Tibet Autonomous Region’s founding—a milestone both celebrated and contested. The grand festivities, staged in the vast square before the iconic Potala Palace, drew over 20,000 people and the rare presence of President Xi Jinping, whose attendance underscored the political weight of the occasion.
The Potala Palace, once the winter residence of the Dalai Lama and now a major tourist attraction, provided a dramatic backdrop for the parade and ceremony. The event was broadcast nationally, with participants holding placards bearing messages like, “Unwaveringly focus on the four major tasks of ensuring stability, promoting development, protecting the ecological environment, and strengthening border defence.” Other banners called on all to “adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and fully implement the Party's strategy for governing Tibet in the new era,” as reported by Reuters.
Xi Jinping’s presence in Lhasa was a rare occurrence. He was joined by a large delegation of senior party and government officials, lending further gravitas to the occasion. While Xi himself did not address the crowd, the Communist Party’s fourth-ranked leader, Wang Huning, delivered a forceful speech. “Tibetan affairs are China’s internal affairs, and no external forces are permitted to interfere. All schemes to split the motherland and undermine stability in Tibet are doomed to fail,” Wang declared, according to the Associated Press. He went on to repeat Xi’s exhortation from the previous day, stating, “(We must) deepen our struggle against separatism.”
The festivities included a vibrant parade along the wide avenue facing the palace, with floats highlighting the regions of Tibet and large dance troupes performing intricate routines. Troops and police marched in formation, chanting mottos, while others held up wide banners with Communist Party slogans. The crowd cheered, creating a festive atmosphere that belied the tension underlying the region’s history.
The anniversary commemorated the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region in September 1965, six years after the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India following a failed uprising against Communist rule. The region’s designation as an “autonomous region” was intended to provide Tibetans with greater say over local policy, including the freedom of religious belief. However, as Reuters notes, human rights groups and exiled Tibetans have long described China’s rule as “oppressive”—an accusation Beijing firmly rejects.
Since Xi Jinping rose to power in 2012, China has tightened its grip on Tibet, extending institutional control over religious and cultural life. Tibetan Buddhism is now required to operate within the framework of Chinese socialism, and the local population is repeatedly urged to “follow the party.” Foreign journalists and diplomats still need special permission to visit the region, a restriction that has drawn international criticism.
Despite these controls, Chinese authorities point to significant economic progress as evidence of their success in Tibet. Official data cited by Reuters highlights that from 2012 to 2024, Tibet’s road network nearly doubled to 120,000 kilometers, connecting every town and village. The region’s economy soared to 276.5 billion yuan (approximately $39 billion) in 2024—a 155-fold increase since 1965. As Wang Huning told the crowd, “The great achievements of the Tibet autonomous region over the past 60 years fully demonstrate that only under the leadership of the Communist Party of China … can Tibet achieve prosperity and progress, create a bright future, and enable people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to live a happy and healthy new life.”
Yet, the shadow of the Dalai Lama loomed over the celebrations. The spiritual leader, who turned 90 in July, remains in exile in India and is still revered by many Tibetans. China’s government, however, insists it alone has the authority to appoint his reincarnation, dismissing the Dalai Lama’s own institution’s claim to that right. Images of the Dalai Lama are forbidden in Tibet, and Beijing opposes any contact between foreign political leaders and the exiled cleric. This policy was recently underscored when China “ceased all engagement” with Czech President Petr Pavel after his private meeting with the Dalai Lama in India earlier this year, Reuters reported.
Opposition to Chinese rule has been largely suppressed inside Tibet. Decades of campaigns against dissent have led to the imprisonment of Buddhist monks and the demolition of some monasteries, according to the Associated Press. The Chinese government maintains that stability and unity are paramount, frequently invoking the threat of “separatism” as justification for its policies. Wang Huning’s speech at the anniversary event made this clear: “Any attempt to split the motherland and undermine Tibet’s stability is doomed to fail!”
Meanwhile, many Tibetans outside China’s borders continue to resist Beijing’s rule. A government-in-exile, led by the Dalai Lama and his followers, operates from Dharamshala in the Indian Himalayas. These overseas Tibetans remain vocal critics of Chinese policy, arguing that true autonomy and religious freedom remain elusive under Communist Party control.
The historical context for these tensions is long and complex. Communist forces occupied Tibet in 1951, two years after the end of China’s civil war. The Dalai Lama’s flight to India in 1959, following a failed uprising, marked a turning point that reverberates to this day. Since then, Beijing has sought to integrate Tibet more closely with the rest of China, both economically and politically, while maintaining strict oversight over religious and cultural practices.
For supporters of the Chinese government, the 60th anniversary is a moment to celebrate progress and unity. They point to new infrastructure, rising living standards, and the extension of modern amenities to remote Himalayan communities. For critics, the same period is marked by lost freedoms, cultural erosion, and the silencing of dissent. The contrast was evident in the day’s festivities: while the square in Lhasa was filled with music, color, and official slogans, the voices of those who disagree with Beijing’s policies were notably absent.
As the sun set behind the Potala Palace, the message from China’s leadership was unambiguous. The Communist Party sees its rule in Tibet as non-negotiable, its development model as a success, and any hint of separatism as a threat to national unity. Whether this vision will bring lasting stability—or continue to provoke resistance—remains an open question for the decades ahead.
