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.

Following the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, and in advance of the 60th anniversary of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Beijing puts on a show of force.

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Tibet on Wednesday, a region where Beijing has been accused of human rights abuses. Xi called for ethnic unity and religious harmony on his trip, in a visit with increased sensitivity as regards the succession of the 90-year-old Dalai Lama.