01 September 2005
China marks 40 years of TAR
The festivities marking the 40th anniversary of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) started with a military parade and flag-raising ceremony outside the Potala, the former palace of the Dalai Lama. The celebrations were allegedly attended by 23,000 people and took place under high security measures. A fireworks display and an evening gala were broadcast on Chinese national television. The ceremony was attended by Jia Qingling, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Party General Secretary Hu Jintao did not attend the festivities.