Chinese President Xi Jinping tells officials to look to Qinghai as model for governing Tibet and Xinjiang
- Xi described the province as a ‘model of national unity’ and told local officials to uphold the party’s policies on governing Tibetan areas
- A quarter of Qinghai’s population are ethnic Tibetans and the province is the birthplace of the exiled Dalai Lama
He said the province, where around a quarter of the population are ethnic Tibetans, was a “model of national unity”, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Xi also told local officials to adhere to Beijing’s ethnic policies and continue the sinicization of religion.
He described the province as “a strategic key place in maintaining stability in Xinjiang and Tibet”, adding: “It must comprehensively implement the party’s policy on how to govern Tibetan areas and shoulder responsibility.”
“As we enter the new stage of development … the importance of Qinghai in terms of ecological security, homeland security, resources and energy security has become even more conspicuous,” Xi said.
During the trip, Xi visited Gangcha county, where most residents are ethnic Tibetans, and used the Tibetan greeting “Tashi Delek” to wish the locals luck.
