Full Text of Speech by Xi Jinping at Tibet's Peaceful Liberation Anniversary Conference

The following is the full text of the speech made by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Tuesday at the conference in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

Speech at Conference Celebrating 60th Anniversary Of the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet

19 July 2011

Xi Jinping

Comrades and Friends,

Today, the ancient city of Lhasa has become a city of flowers. The snow-capped plateau has taken on a new look. The people of all ethnic groups in Tibet are chanting merrily to express their happiness and joy. Entrusted by General Secretary Hu Jintao and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), we members of the delegation from the central government have come to Tibet, bringing with us the profound friendship of people from around the country. We are here to join people of all ethnic groups in Tibet in the grand celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

To begin with, I wish to extend, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Central Military Commission (CMC), warm congratulations and cordial greetings to workers, farmers and herdsmen, intellectuals, cadres and people from all walks of life and of all ethnic groups in Tibet, and to officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) garrison, units of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force (PAPF) and public security officers in Tibet. I wish to pay high regards to our comrades and friends who have made contributions to the peaceful liberation and reform and development of Tibet. I also wish to express heartfelt thanks to our compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and overseas Chinese and foreign friends who have cared about and supported Tibet's development.

In 1951, the central people's government signed in Beijing with the former local government of Tibet the Agreement on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet, which declared Tibet's peaceful liberation. This was a turning point of epoch-making significance in the history of Tibet. It was a major event in the cause of liberation and national unification of the Chinese people. The peaceful liberation of Tibet crushed the attempt of external forces to separate Tibet from China. It upheld national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and safeguarded national unification and ethnic unity. It opened the path for the one million serfs in Tibet to stand up and become masters of their own fates and ushered in a bright prospect of prosperity and progress for Tibet.