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.

The trip underscores Beijing’s focus on tightening party control over ethnic minorities, especially in the restive region.