LHASA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday attended a grand gathering at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa, capital of Xizang Autonomous Region, to mark the region’s 60th founding anniversary.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joined around 20,000 local officials and people from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in the celebration.