Today's Tibet

The Light of Modern Civilization

This is a pure land, vast, peaceful and vigorous. Tibet has thriving herds,picturesque mountains and rivers, and mysterious glaciers and canyons. It is home to dozens of varieties of rare plateau plants and several hundred species of birds and animals. It boasts rich valuable mineral reserves and energy resources such as water, terrestrial heat and wind power. It is a Shangri-la rich in natural resources.

Tibet's outstanding people have brought glory and prosperity to this pure land. The six economic pillars-farming-stockbreeding, energy resources, tourism, mining, ethnic handicrafts and Tibetan medicine-combine to create today's wonderful Tibet, which is forging ahead toward a bright future.

With its unique traditional medicine, ornate culture, splendid ethnic arts and crafts, and tourism resources, Tibet is taking its place in modern civilization. It holds out its arms to embrace the world.

Forty-three Projects and Highlights

The Second Tibet Work Conference held in February 1984 marked the launch of the nationwide campaign of "Aid-Tibet". On this Conference, the CPC Central committee and the State Council committee and the State Council made the decision that 43 urgent medium-sized engineering projects be put under construction, with the assistance of nine provinces and municipalities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Guangdong, Shandong and Fujian, as well as relevant departments including the Ministry of Water and Electricity Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture, Husbandry and Fishery and the State Administration of Construction Material.

The 480 million yuan projects, involving 10 industrial sectors and covering a total construction area of 236,000 squaremeters, were vividly dubbed as "Turn-key Project" -all the construction work, from design, engineering, facility installation to the training of managerial personnel are all completed by the undertakers, and should be fully in operation and profit-making once completed. These 43 projects, meeting the essential requirements for the development of Tibet's society and economy and tourism in particular, are thus praised as "43 Highlights of the Tibetan Plateau".

Harness of Three Rivers

After the completion of the 43 projects in 1984, the State Council made another decision in 1991: one billion yuan were to be invested for the "Harness of Three Rivers" project, i.e. water treatment control and development of the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo and its tributaries-the Lhasa river and the Nyangcu River. The work schedule was set in the last 10 years in the 20th century, spanning the Eighth and Ninth "Five Year Plan".

This project involves 220 programs to be completed from 1991 to 2000, including water conservatory, planting, husbandry, forestry, energy, transportation, science and multi-functional agricultural development zone, etc. the three rivers region, called "the golden triangle of Tibet" is Tibet's center of politics, economy, culture and transportation, as well as the heartland and major grain-growing zone of Tibet. The exploration of this region will play a significant role in reinforcing Tibet's potential of sustainable development and embarking Tibet on a fast and stable road of development.

The Far-reaching 62 Projects

In July 1994, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council convened the Third Tibet Work Conference in Beijing. The general policy of maintaining social stability and accelerating the development of Tibet was regularized. And 62 projects of "Aid-Tibet" were planned to kick off soon to accord the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

From 1995 to 2000, these 60 projects were accomplished, with the joint assistance of 13 ministries and departments of the central government, 3293 provinces, 3 municipalities and autonomous regions, as well as 6 municipalities with independent budgetary status. These projects, costing 4.958 billion yuan, 2.578 billion over the original budget, have exerted positive and efficient influences over the growth of Tibet's economy.

On May 23, 1951, the Central Government of the Chinese People and the local government of Tibet signed an agreement on measures for the peaceful liberation of Tibet. The ninth article of this agreement stipulates: "the spoken and written language and school education of the Tibetan people shall be step in accordance with the actual conditions in Tibet." Chairman Mao, the founding leader of the New China, also reiterated the necessity of helping the Tibetan people with their education cause. The latter leaderships also paid close attention to the education development in Tibet. With such concern and support, the modern system of education in Tibet, starting from scratch after the peaceful liberation, began to take shape and gradually matured. From the Lhasa Primary School, Qamdo Primary School to the Lasa Middle School, the Tibet Ethnic Institute to the Tibet University．．．．．．The development of education is an essential measure to help Tibet in its anti-poverty campaign and riddance of its backwardness. It is not only practical and imperative, but also historically significant.