Chinese President Xi Jinping took a veiled jab at the Dalai Lama during a visit to Tibet, alluding to a need for greater control over “religious affairs.” Xi made a surprise visit to Tibet on Thursday to celebrate 60 years of Chinese Communist Party rule over the region.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has made a rare trip to Tibet and hailed the crushing of “separatism” in the once-restive region, as Beijing prepares for a looming struggle over the successor of the aging and exiled Dalai Lama and the hearts and minds of millions of Tibetans.

A power struggle is taking shape over choosing a successor to the 90-year-old Buddhist leader. In a trip to Tibet’s capital, China’s leader emphasized maintaining Beijing’s control.