Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, June 19: As the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama nears his 90th birthday, China has intensified its political messaging and security manoeuvres in the Tibetan province of Amdo (Ch: Qinghai), the birthplace of the exiled Tibetan leader.
According to the South China Morning Post, China’s Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, Chen Wenqing, and a member of the 24-strong Politburo conducted a high-level inspection tour of the Tibetan province of Amdo (Ch: Qinghai) this week, calling the province “a critical region for the stability of both Tibet and Xinjiang (East Turkestan)”.
Chen underscored the need for “resolute confrontation” against what China claims are separatist activities and so-called national security threats emerging from Tibetan regions, both within and beyond the so-called TAR.
During his three-day visit, Chen toured sensitive zones in Xining, Amdo (Ch: Qinghai), including security sites, religious institutions, and administrative centres. He held a series of closed-door meetings with provincial authorities to reinforce Beijing’s demand for “lawful management of ethnic and religious affairs”, particularly during politically sensitive periods such as upcoming religious events or possible announcements related to the Dalai Lama’s succession.
Chen’s remarks echoed President Xi Jinping’s 2021 assertion that Amdo (Ch: Qinghai) is of “extreme strategic importance” for securing Chinese control over Tibet and East Turkestan (Ch: Xinjiang). This geopolitical framing, rights groups warn, is used to justify sweeping surveillance, political indoctrination campaigns, and religious repression targeting Tibetan communities in the province.
His visit follows a pattern of increased central oversight. Last October, Chen had also made a similar inspection of the so-called TAR, including Lhasa, Shigatse, and Chamdo, as well as Tibetan areas in Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan. He urged local officials to adopt “stricter control mechanisms” to suppress dissent and promote so-called ethnic unity.
Meanwhile, as Beijing escalates efforts to influence the reincarnation process of the Dalai Lama. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently met with Gyaltsen Norbu, the Beijing-appointed Panchen Lama, reinforcing the CCP’s commitment to “religious sinicisation” and “patriotic Tibetan Buddhism”. Norbu, who remains unpopular among Tibetans, vowed during the meeting to promote national security and ethnic unity.
In Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile, President Penpa Tsering responded to the growing Chinese rhetoric during the launch of the official Ghoton website on Wednesday. When asked about the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation issue, the President stated that a major religious conference of Tibetan Buddhist leaders would be held from July 2 to 4 in Dharamshala, with His Holiness the Dalai Lama delivering a special video message on the first day. “Many matters related to His Holiness’s reincarnation are likely to become clearer through this message,” Penpa said. The Dalai Lama has earlier said that he will consult with senior Buddhist leaders on the matter of his reincarnation when he reaches the age of 90.
China’s increased pressure, critics say, is aimed at pre-empting any succession plan that could challenge the state-backed narrative. Tibetan leaders in exile, however, maintain that the question of reincarnation lies solely within the religious traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, free from state interference.
