A: The Chinese Constitution stipulates that each ethnic group has the freedom
to use and develop its own language. The Law on the Regional Ethnic Autonomy of
the People's Republic of China also stipulates that in performing their duties
the organs of self-government of an ethnic autonomous area shall employ one or
more of the spoken and written languages in common use in the locality. Tibetan
is the spoken and written language generally used in Tibet Autonomous Region.
In July 1987, the Regional People's Congress adopted its Regulations of Tibet
Autonomous Region on the Study, Use and Development of the Tibetan language (Trial
Implementation), which states clearly that Tibet shall use both the Tibetan and
Chinese languages, with Tibetan as the main communication medium. All resolutions,
laws, decrees, and government documents and notices are currently issued in both
the Tibetan and Chinese languages. Local TV and radio stations and newspapers
also use both languages. Of all the books published in the region, 70 percent
are in Tibetan. A major principle of local employment and school enrolment is
to provide equal opportunities for users of different languages, while giving
priority to Tibetan language users. Mass meetings and conventions are conducted
in Tibetan, and road and street signs, and notices in public places are in both
Tibetan and Chinese. The Tibetan language is a major item on the curriculum of
schools at all levels in Tibet. It is also an ethnic minority language used on
important occasions, such as the National People's Congress, and the Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference. The Central People's Broadcasting Station has
a Tibetan program. The Tibetan Codes and Characters for Information Technology,
formulated by Tibet, has been adopted by the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO), opening the wary for the Tibetan language to enter modern information and
media fields. In 1995, Tibet established the Committee for Standardization of
Terms in the Tibetan Language, whose work was the standardization of the Tibetan
language and its usage, providing a guarantee for the use and development of the
Tibetan language. |