Mr Xi’s visit had not been previously announced publicly and it is not clear whether he had already returned to Beijing. Meanwhile, domestic tourism has expanded massively in the region during Mr Xi’s nine years in office and new airports, rail lines and highways constructed. The Dalai Lama says he was forced into signing the document and has since repudiated it. This marks the first time Mr Modi has publicly confirmed speaking with the Dalai Lama since becoming prime minister in 2014. In a statement, the advocacy group International Campaign for Tibet called Mr Xi’s visit “an indication of how high Tibet continues to figure in Chinese policy considerations”.

Source: Irish Independent July 23, 2021 07:30 UTC