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 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.

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