'Contribute To Stable Borders': Chinese President Xi Urges Tibetans Near Indian Border
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Xi previously visited Nyingchi in 2021, becoming the first Chinese president to travel to the border areas of Tibet.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called on residents of a Tibetan village near the Indian border to play a greater role in fostering prosperity and stability in the region.
In a letter responding to villagers from Nyingchi—an area located near the Arunachal Pradesh border—Xi expressed satisfaction over the progress made in recent years.
'Learning that the village has undergone new changes in recent years and villagers' incomes have increased, I feel happy for you," Xi wrote in his reply.
China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of what it calls South Tibet—a claim strongly rejected by India.
Xi previously visited Nyingchi in 2021, becoming the first Chinese president to travel to the border areas of Tibet.
In his recent letter, he encouraged locals to follow the Communist Party's policies on border development and rural revitalisation.
He urged them to help preserve the plateau's environment, promote local tourism, and strengthen regional stability.
The Chinese government has, in recent years, built a series of villages along the border with India, citing both security and development as priorities.
According to state media outlet Xinhua, Xi also appealed to residents of the Tibet Autonomous Region to promote ethnic unity and pursue a better quality of life.
During his 2021 trip, Xi visited the Nyang River Bridge to observe ecological protection efforts along the Brahmaputra River basin, referred to locally as the Yarlung Zangbo.
In a separate development last year, Beijing approved construction of what it says will be the world's largest hydroelectric project on the Brahmaputra in Tibet.
The $137 billion dam has sparked concern among downstream countries, including India and Bangladesh, over potential impacts on water flow and regional ecology.
First Published:
June 29, 2025, 22:56 IST
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