China has implemented a sweeping lock-down of towns across the Tibetan plateau ahead of a sensitive historical anniversary today in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the unrest seen last March.

In one instance, police armed with machineguns set up a road block at Jianzha in the northwestern province of Qinghai, which borders the Tibetan Autonomous Region. Tibetan travellers had to show their residence documents and explain their travel plans while police ordered foreign journalists travelling through the area to turn back to the provincial capital of Qinghai.