Recently, the top leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, arrived in Lhasa, Tibet, to attend the 60th anniversary ceremony of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region by the Chinese Communist Party. Local temples were temporarily taken over by special police forces, and snipers were stationed on the rooftops of temples such as the Jokhang Temple. Owners of guesthouses received notices to strictly check the identities of their guests. Many locals described the security measures as almost martial law-like.
Xi Jinping arrived in Lhasa on August 20th in preparation for the upcoming ceremony on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region. According to local sources, the area around the Potala Palace was already under high alert that day, with strict traffic controls throughout the city. “Out-of-town vehicles cannot enter anymore, and armed special police are everywhere. Many temples are closed, and shops across from the Potala Palace have had to pull down their shutters and stop operating.”
Another resident of Lhasa described that along the two-kilometer stretch between Barkhor Street near the Jokhang Temple and the Potala Palace, there was a mobile checkpoint every twenty meters, showing an unprecedented level of security density on the streets.
A Tibetan residing near the Jokhang Temple who currently lives abroad told a reporter that after Xi Jinping’s arrival, military and police forces were stationed inside temples, and monks were prohibited from going outside. “Sniper posts were set up on the temple roofs, creating a very tense atmosphere,” he said. Over ten days ago, residents were notified not to go out on the day of the ceremony.
In the Shannan area more than 100 kilometers from Lhasa, a monk (who requested anonymity for safety reasons) revealed that a month ago, the monastery’s management committee was instructed to conduct a comprehensive review of security vulnerabilities. “We were told that Lhasa would hold the 60th anniversary ceremony of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, and that leaders were coming, emphasizing fire safety. Fire drills were also conducted. I heard the control in Lhasa is even stricter; public security forces were already stationed in the monasteries a week ago, and monks and abbots had to sign pledges ensuring ‘no incidents.'”
The tourism industry has also been significantly impacted. Mr. Gu, the head of a travel agency in Lhasa, said, “The tourism bureau notified us to stop receiving tourists this week, so nowhere is accessible. A few days ago, mainland tourists called to inquire, and I could only advise them to come after the event concludes.”
Furthermore, a guesthouse operator in Lhasa mentioned that a month ago, street officials required all guest information to be reported to the local police station. “Recently, the checks have been very strict. The police station notified us to provide guests’ ID cards and phone numbers, to immediately report suspicious individuals, and there are rewards for catching criminals. Now there are also fewer tourists, probably a decrease of about thirty percent.”
According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi Jinping stated in his speech at the ceremony that Tibet should adhere to the two major strategic goals of “long-term stability” and “high-quality development,” in order to promote prosperity, harmony, and national unity in Tibet. State media claimed that Tibet has made comprehensive progress in economic and social aspects in recent years, and national unity continues to strengthen.
However, overseas Tibetans and human rights organizations argue that the “long-term stability” and “national unity” touted by the Chinese Communist Party are actually built on a strict foundation of social control and religious suppression. A Tibetan commented, “Since the 2008 ‘3·14′ incident, Tibetans’ freedom has been restricted for over ten years, which is probably what they refer to as ‘long-term stability.'”
Analysts believe that the scale of the security measures in this occasion reflects Beijing’s high sensitivity to the situation in Tibet. Mr. Qin, a Beijing minority rights advocate, said in an interview, “Whether it’s in Xinjiang, Tibet, Beijing, or Guizhou, whenever Xi Jinping visits a place, local authorities will deploy a large number of police forces for stability maintenance. This indicates that they are more aware of the severity of social conflicts than ordinary people. The group incidents we see online are just the tip of the iceberg, and the actual situation may be even more shocking.”
Mr. Qin further stated that the presence of snipers on Lhasa’s streets, military presence in the temples, tourism freeze, and real-name control in guesthouses all create an atmosphere almost resembling a state of emergency. He believes this reflects the deep-seated unease and vulnerability of the Chinese Communist regime behind the celebration. “The authorities outwardly emphasize national unity and social stability, but in reality, individual freedoms are compressed to the extreme.”
Xi Jinping’s visit to Tibet is widely seen as an attempt by Beijing to showcase its political legitimacy through the “anniversary ceremony,” but also reveals the high tension and unrest in Tibetan society.
Critics argue that beneath the surface of flowers and slogans, there are defenses everywhere on the streets of Lhasa, monks in temples are closely monitored, tourists are turned away, and the daily lives of the people are severely disrupted. The so-called “celebration” appears more like a nationwide performance of “silence” and “control.”