Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the strategically important Tibetan border town of Nyingchi near Arunachal Pradesh, where he underlined the need for “eternal stability” and “high-level development” in the plateau region. Xi arrived in Tibet on Wednesday but given the sensitivity of the visit, China’s official media kept it a secret until the end of his visit on Friday.
Xi reached Nyingchi on Wednesday after touring several parts of the city, which is not far from the Indian border. After this, he reached Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, by the recently introduced high-speed bullet train.
During his visit, Xi emphasized the full implementation of the guidelines of the ruling Communist Party of China to “lead Tibet into a new era and write a new record for lasting stability and high-quality development in the plateau region”. Gave.
China has been accused of suppressing cultural and religious freedom in the remote and predominantly Buddhist Himalayan region, but China has denied the allegations. State broadcaster CCTV showed Xi greeting a group of people, holding Chinese flags in their hands, upon arrival at Menling Airport.
Many Chinese leaders visit Tibet from time to time, but Xi, who heads the ruling Communist Party of China and the powerful Central Military Commission (the overall high command of the Chinese military), is perhaps the first top leader to visit Tibet’s border city in recent years. Huh.
During his visit to Nyingchi, Xi visited the ‘Nyang River Bridge’, which is called ‘Yarlung Zangbo’ in Tibetan, to inspect the ecological conservation in the Brahmaputra river valley.
Nyingchi is a province-level city in Tibet bordering Arunachal Pradesh. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet, a claim that India has always strongly denied. There is a border dispute between India and China along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Xi’s visit is taking place in the midst of a military standoff between India and China during Tibet. Nyingchi came into the limelight in June, when China started fully operating its first bullet train in Tibet. This train connects Lhasa, the provincial capital of Tibet, with Nyingchi.
After visiting a city planning hall, a village and a park in Nyingchi, Xi went to Nyingchi railway station and left for Lhasa by train. During this he also inspected the railway construction. On Thursday, Xi also went on an inspection tour of Lhasa.
Meanwhile, Chinese analysts believe that Xi’s visit shows that Beijing wants to boost economic growth and bring stability in Tibet.