TCHRD criticises Xi Jinping's Tibet visit as 'stage-managed spectacle'

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 2 : The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has condemned Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent trip to Lhasa, describing it as a "stage-managed spectacle of unity" that eluded promises of autonomy. According to Phayul, the rights group argued that Beijing used the 60th anniversary of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) to tighten its grip rather than recognise Tibetan self-rule.

Xi, accompanied by senior Communist Party leaders including Wang Huning, visited the Tibetan capital on August 20. State media projected the visit as an expression of "care and affection" for the Tibetan people, highlighting Xi's emphasis on "political stability," "ethnic unity," and "religious harmony."

According to Phayul, TCHRD dismissed the messaging, pointing out that unlike in previous commemorative speeches, neither Xi nor Wang mentioned strengthening regional autonomy. Instead, they reinforced the idea of assimilating Tibetans into the broader Chinese nation, undermining rights guaranteed under the 1984 Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law.

The Dharamshala-based group also drew attention to the imbalance of power within Tibetan governance structures. Han Chinese officials dominate most of the TAR's leadership posts, leaving Tibetans with symbolic roles, TCHRD asserted.

Phayul noted that the report highlighted sweeping Sinicisation campaigns: Tibetan-medium schools are being dismantled, Mandarin is imposed as the primary language even in monasteries, and images of the Dalai Lama remain banned. Parents have expressed concern that Tibetan children are now unable to converse with their elders, as the use of their native language is discouraged in classrooms.

According to Phayul, the report further accused Chinese authorities of reshaping Tibetan society through intermarriage programs, forced labour transfers, and resource extraction projects that displace local communities without fair compensation.

TCHRD also cited internal documents suggesting that officials are preparing to suppress dissent around sensitive anniversaries, including the Dalai Lama's upcoming 90th birthday. The group concluded, as stated by Phayul, that the commemorations were less about honouring Tibetan rights and more about showcasing Beijing's dominance under the rhetoric of "ethnic unity" and "national progress."

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