BEIJING, May 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 23, 1951, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Xizang on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Xizang ("17-Article Agreement" for short) was signed in Beijing, marking the peaceful liberation of Xizang.
Before that, the 18th Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) marched toward the snow-covered plateau, crossing mountains, rivers and high-altitude valleys. Their arduous journey was not only a military march, but also a process of implementing policies, reaching out to local communities and laying the groundwork for Xizang's peaceful liberation and subsequent development.
Recently, the Global Times retraced parts of the route taken by the 18th Army into Xizang, traveling along the Sichuan-Xizang Highway from Qamdo to Nyingchi and finally arriving in Lhasa in today's Xizang Autonomous Region in Southwest China. Through conversations with witnesses to history, visits to historic sites, and interviews with local researchers and grassroots officials, this report revisits the arduous journey of the 18th Army into Xizang and explores how its spirit of discipline, unity and service continues to resonate in today's Xizang.
