מומחים: הביקור בטיבט חושף סדקים במעמדו של שי ג'ין-פינג בתוך המפלגה הקומוניסטית הסינית

China's regime leader Xi Jinping returned to Beijing Thursday after his second ever visit to Tibet. It was his most high-profile appearance in months, with lavish receptions and red carpets. Are these lavish displays just for show? Chinese experts point to unusual signs in Xi's visit. In recent months, speculation about Xi Jinping's waning power has been mounting. Observers noted purges of his loyalists, a shrinking personal guard, and surprisingly less coverage in state-run media. But everything seemed to change overnight. Xi made an extravagant appearance in Tibet on Wednesday, waving to state-run media cameras. The event marked the 60th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party's takeover of the Himalayan territory. Almost no Western media were allowed to cover it firsthand. Major outlets like BBC and CNN relied on photos from Beijing, while others used images of Tibet's landscapes. What's more, analysts noticed something unusual. Chinese regime leaders often dye their hair black. But this time, Xi appeared with noticeably graying hair. Analyst Jiang Feng says the change could carry a deeper message. In the CCP's political context, leaders appearing in public with dyed hair is a political convention, much like how they dress. It signals vigor, health and control of power. But this convention has recently been broken. Xi Jinping also visited Chinese troops in Tibet. But senior military leaders, including the second-in-command of the Chinese military and the commander of the Tibet Theater, both skipped the event. Under typical CCP protocol, such top officials are expected to accompany the head of state. This marks the third time the second-ranking military leader, Jiang Youxia, has skipped Xi's military visits. Jiang is widely seen as a top opponent of Xi. Footage from Chinese state broadcasters shows Xi flanked only by lower-ranking disciplinary officials. Tang Jingyuan, a senior China affairs analyst, weighs in. Not only was the arrangement far too low in rank, it was completely mismatched. When the head of China's military inspects troops, those accompanying him should be military commanders or senior political officers. On top of that, a candidate favored by the anti-Xi faction, once nearly pushed to the margins of the regime, was also among the delegation to Tibet. Analysts say such a move would be unlikely if Xi still maintained a tight grip on power.