ISTANBUL

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed Wednesday the need for two-way exchanges in economy, culture and personnel with mainland China while visiting the southwestern Tibet autonomous region to commemorate its 60th anniversary, state media reported.

Xi and his delegation were welcomed following their arrival at Lhasa Konggar International Airport in the capital of Tibet, locally known as Xizang.

He is the first Chinese president to attend the event, which is held once a decade.

Xi also emphasized the significance of fostering competitive plateau industries based on local conditions, while particularly focusing on industries of agriculture and animal husbandry with local features, along with the clean energy sector, according to the state news agency Xinhua.

He called on major projects in the region, such as the hydropower project located at the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, and the Sichuan-Xizang Railway project, to be completed in a "vigorous, orderly and effective manner."

The trip comes weeks after Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced the launch of construction work on the hydropower project, which will become the world’s largest hydropower project.

Xi urged Tibet to advance ecological conservation, and to jointly work to lower carbon emissions, curb pollution, expand green development, and drive economic growth, to safeguard “the roof of the world” and “Asia’s water tower.”

Tibet is called the world’s roof because it is 4.5 kilometers (2.7 miles) above sea level on average.

Xi was joined by Communist Party ideologue Wang Huning and Cai Qi, chief of the staff to the Chinese president, with whom he also attended the Gala marking the founding anniversary.

Xi became Chinese president in 2013. He has since visited the nation of 3.6 million twice. He last visited in 2021.

China established control over Tibet in 1951, describing it as a “peaceful liberation.”

Founded in 1965, the Tibet Autonomous Region is one of China’s five ethnic regions.