Chinese leader Xi Jinping has made a rare trip to Tibet and hailed the crushing of “separatism” in the once-restive region, as Beijing prepares for a looming struggle over the successor of the aging and exiled Dalai Lama and the hearts and minds of millions of Tibetans.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has made a rare visit to Tibet to mark the 60th anniversary of the consolidation of Beijing’s long-contested rule over the Himalayan territory.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for his government to tighten its ethnic-assimilation campaign during a rare visit to Tibet, throwing a spotlight on a region that’s also been a source of tension with India even as the rivals improve ties.