Chinese President Xi Jinping’s public visit to Tibet has raised doubts about the stability of his rule, after senior military commanders were absent from it and after further signs of his weakening status within the Communist Party were seen today.

Tang Jingyuan, a senior China analyst, commented on this in an interview with NTD News. According to him, “not only was the status of the escorts very low in rank, it also did not fit [the nature of the visit] at all. When the head of China’s military meets soldiers, those accompanying him are supposed to be senior military commanders or senior political officials.”

Furthermore, a candidate favored by the political camp opposed to Xi, who was previously almost marginalized by the regime, also arrived with the delegation to Tibet. Analysts say such a move could not have taken place if Xi had a strong grip on power.