Xi Jinping, China’s President, travels to the unsettled region of Tibet

Chinese president Xi Jinping has visited Tibet, the politically troubled region. It is the first official visit of a Chinese leader in 30 years. The president was in Tibet for two days. However, the visits only got the reporting from the state media due to the sensitivity related to the trip.

China is being accused of suppressing cultural and religious freedom in the Buddhist region. The government of China denies the accusations. In footage of a state broadcaster, Mr. Xi Jinping has been seen greeting a crowd who are wearing ethnic costumes. They are waving the Chinese flag as the Chinese President leaves his plane.

He arrived in Nyingchi in the southeast of the country. Also, he had visited a number of the locations to learn about urban development before he traveled to the capital Lhasa. He took the path of the high-altitude railway.

In Lhasa, Mr. Xi has visited the Potala Palace, which is the traditional home of exiled Tibetan leader, Dalai Lama. People in this city had reported about the unusual activities and monitoring of their movement after his visit.

Mr. Xi Jinping last visited this region 10 years ago as the vice president of China. The last Chinese president who visited Tibet in 1990 was Jiang Zemin. The state media has said that Mr. Xi took the time to learn more about the work which is going on in ethnic and religious affairs. The work which is in progress aims to protect the Tibetan culture.

Many of the excited Tibetans have accused Beijing of religious repression. Also, they have accused China of eroding their culture.

Tibet has a tumultuous history. It had spent some of the periods while functioning as an independent entity and others under the rule of powerful Chinese and Mongolian dynasties.

China sent at least thousands of troops to enforce their claim on this region in 1950. Some of the areas have become the Tibetan Autonomous Region. However, others got incorporation into the neighboring provinces of China.

China says that Tibet has developed much under its rule. But the campaign groups say that China continues to violate its human rights. Also, they have accused China of political and religious repression.

Credits: BBC