The 4th ranking PBSC member and Chairman of the CPPCC, Wang Yang, arrived in Tibet on August 19 at the head of a delegation for the 'grand celebrations' of the 70th anniversary of the 'peaceful liberation' of Tibet outside the Potala Palace in Lhasa, which was attended by over 20,000 people. At a ceremony outside the Potala Palace in Lhasa on August 19, Wang Yang said “No one outside China has the right to point fingers at us when it comes to Tibetan affairs. Any attempt … to separate Tibet from China is doomed to fail.” Wang Yang also praised the party for fending off “sabotage attempts by the Dalai [Lama] clique” and promoting the economic development in Tibet. Xinhua quoted him as saying “Only by following the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership and pursuing the path of socialism, can Tibet achieve development and prosperity.” During the trip, he laid down Beijing’s priorities in the region, including political stability, economic development, ecology and border security. Wang Yang reiterated some of the points made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Tibet in late July but added that “all-round efforts” are needed to promote Chinese language education, and said “Chinese cultural symbols and images of the Chinese nation” should be shared by all ethnic groups. He also pledged greater protections for traditional Tibetan culture and said the Communist Party has committed huge resources to promote the use of the Tibetan language. Among those accompanying Wang Yang were You Quan, Politburo member and Director of the United Front Work Department (UFWD), Zhang Qingli, former hardline TAR Party Secretary and currently a Vice Chairman of the CPPCC, and Admiral Miao Hua, Political Commissar of the Central Military Commission (CMC).
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