Socio-economic Development

Prior to the Democratic Reform in Tibet in 1959, there were only a small number of artisans in Nagqu. Modern industry was nowhere to be found, and even commerce was in a rudimentary state. Only during horse races in the summer did the locals engage in barter trade, with merchants coming to trade their daily necessities for local animal by-products, medicinal herbs and native produce. In the 40 years since the Democratic Reform in 1959, however, a modern industrial system has been introduced. Now there are 45 State-owned enterprises in the whole region, including 12industrial, 13 commercial, and 13 grain processing businesses; there is also one foreign trade company, one materials supply-marketing co-op, one construction company and a tourist service.

Based in Nagqu Town, the state-owned enterprises are engaged mainly in the tertiary and light industries, as well as mining, electric power, machinery repair, construction the processing of Tibetan medicine and the production of candles. Nagqu produces about 40 types of products unique to Tibet. They include kardian cushions, Tibetan robes, Tibetan shoes, Tibetan hats, Tibetan furniture, Tibetan knives, and silver and bronze ware. Some of them have been awarded Quality product honors from the Central or Tibetan departments concerned. Tibetan carpets and Tibetan medicine are also sold in other parts of and outside of China.

Tibet is also rich in the supply of animal by-products. Due to various reasons, however, many are not processed. To open up the use of these by-products, an animal processing zone covering an area of 2.3 square km is being opened up in Nagqu Town to accommodate projects such as a wool rinsing factory and a tourist souvenir factory. Statistics for 1997 show that the industrial output value of Nagqu Town reached 132 million yuan, evidence that township enterprises were booming in the town. In Nagqu prefecture, there are 66 township enterprises. Employing some 5, 000 workers, they boast an annual output value of over 6 million yuan. For example, Amdo County, making full use of local mineral water resources, built the Tanggula Mineral Water Development Co. with good tangible results.

The commercial network covers various counties and township in Nagqu. It is composed of 134-supply-marseting co-ops. By 1997, there were 7,281 individually owned restaurants and stores in the wholesale or retail business in Nagqu. Fast development of the commodity economy makes the life of the local people convenient and helps instill a sense of commodity economy and herders in this part of the world. Subsequently, many get involved in the tertiary industry, and some engage in the marketing of animal by-products and native produce.
Highways were not available before the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, and the locals had to use animals for transportation. Today, a network of the Qinghai-Tibet, Nagri-Qamdo and Amdo-Shiquanhe Highways traveled by long-distance buses total 7, 000 km and rural roads 4, 555 km. Recent years saw a fast increase in the transport volume of the Nagqu Goods Transport Co. and the Nagqu Commercial Transport Co. There was also an increase in the number if collectively and individually owned transport teams.

In the past, all messages were delivered on horseback. With the fast construction of highways in this prefecture, postal roues linking various counties and towns now total 93, 000 km. With the Nagqu post and Telecommunications Bureau at the center, 13 satellite ground reception stations have been built. The 2, 000-channel program controlled exchange is in operation in the Nagqu Township and in connected with those in Amdo, Baqen, Biru, Jiali, pangkog and Nyainrong, as well as incorporated into the national network .In the Nagqu prefecture, every 1, 000 people own 84 telephones. In Nagqu Town, every 1, 000 people own 9,29 telephones. In addition, mobile phone projects are being undertaken. By 1997, the volume of post and telecommunications businesses totaled 14.02 million yuan. Nowadays, herders in north Tibet can call friends who are far away. With the commissioning of the optical fiber extending from Lanzhou (capital of Gansu province) to Tibet, Nagqu will become closer to the rest of China and even to the rest of the world.

In the past, weather was unpredictable. Today, with the adoption of remote sensors and micro- computer processing technology, weather forecasters in Nagqu can predict changes in the weather with an accuracy of 95 percent. This plays an important role in animal husbandry, farming, and resisting natural disasters.

People in north Tibet are open and straightforward, and are good at singing and dancing. Cultural facilities, however, were not available before 1959, the year the Democratic Reform was carried out. Lamas, county government officials, tribal leaders and their agents did not know very much Tibetan. The bulk of herders and peasants were illiterate. Outstanding literary works-such as the epic of king Gesar, folk songs, folk tales, Repa dance, Zhegar ballad and riddles-were passed on orally. The 40-some saw the construction of five county cultural palaces, six county (district) cultural work stations, solat energy driven TV relay stations in 90 percent of counties and townships, cinemas and 72 township film projection teams, which have so far shown movies on 7,300 occasions for 483, 000 people. Nagqu Town has also seen a rose in book stores, theaters, and radio and TV stations. Efforts have been made and continue to be made to rescue traditional cultural works passed down orally among the people. A special institution has been set up to rescue counties and township, art troupes have been established to entertain the local people. Some of them have even performed in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. In addition, Karaoke, video, dancing and billiards halls are mushrooming in Nagqu.

School education was almost absent in Nagqu before the Democratic Reform in 1959.The Hehei primary School, created in 1956, was the only one of its kind in the prefecture. Today, however, there are 195 officially or privately owned primary schools in the prefecture. In light of the scarcity of teachers in the prefecture, the State Council sent 45 people to set up the Nagqu prefectural Middle School and the Nagqu Teachers` Training Class in the prefecture. The Nagqu prefectural Middle School now covers an area of six hectares, with 10,000 square meters of buildings. Complete with a library, a reading room, an audio-visual teaching classroom, a laboratory, an auditorium and a lounge for the teaching staff, the school has 12 middle-school classes and four high-school classes. There are 550 enrolled students and 103 teachers. Over the past 20 years, it has produced 356 high-school graduates, 203 of whom furthered their study in universities or colleges, and 1,432 middle-school graduates, most of whom furthered their study in polytechnic or high schools.

Thus far, the Nagqu Prefecture boasts six middle schools and one secondary teachers' school; they employ 1,490 full-time teachers and 529 non-governmentally paid or part-time teachers. Students attending schools now number 15,000, which indicates a high rate of attendance for children of local farmers and herders. To further develop local school education, the prefectural government invested 12 million yuan to build 32 middle and primary schools in 1997, making it possible for 3,300 more children to go to schools. County education bureau directors and school presidents arranged to visit highly distinguished schools for advanced experience in teaching. Upon returning home, they introduced the school president responsibility system. The recently set up Nagqu Prefectural Vocational School had recruited 120 students, and is perfecting the modern educational system in Nagqu.

In the past, a small number of the few Tibetan medicine doctors in north Tibet were very experienced. However, being so few in number they could not meet the needs of the local peasants and herders, who are widely dispersed. When sick, the locals had to turn to the lamas or their own fate. To help solve this problem, the Central Government dispatched many medical teams to Nagqu. In 1954, the Heihe Clinic was set up in Nagqu Town. Though only a clinic, it symbolized the beginning of modern health work in the region, which today boasts 177 medical institutions, including 40 hospitals, 12 epidemic disease prevention and treatment station, three health stations for women, and 122 township clinics. They employ 1,178 medical workers. Many of the malicious diseases have been brought under control or were completely cure. For decades, the local herders and farmers have been enjoying free medical treatment. As a result, the locals now enjoy a lifespan of 65 years, compared to 35 years in 1951.