LHASA, Tibet (AP) 鈥� This year marks the 75th anniversary of what China calls the 鈥減eaceful liberation鈥� of Tibet in 1951, which critics describe as an invasion that has widely curtailed the rights and culture of Tibetans.
Foreigners face tight restrictions on traveling to Tibet, a remote, high-altitude region also known for its Buddhist faith and snow-capped mountains. The Associated Press last week joined a government-organized trip to the autonomous region, where journalists visited palaces, temples, tourist sites, an eldercare center and local businesses.
Government officials accompanied AP journalists during the media trip to sites that authorities selected in advance. AP journalists were not free to move around or conduct reporting independently. The AP retained full editorial control of its content.
The visit offered a glimpse into daily lives of Tibetans and the growing number of Han Chinese residents. In the capital, Lhasa, visitors flock to the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple, some to sightsee and others to pray. Others travel to sacred Yamdrok Lake, at 4,441 meters (14,570 feet) above sea level, or to Yumbulagang Palace, regarded as Tibet鈥檚 first palace and later converted into a monastery, where worshippers make offerings.
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