Tibet will further open up to the outside world and attract more
direct foreign investment while promoting ecological and
environmental protection, Nyima Tsering, vice chairman of the Tibet
Autonomous Region of China, said here Thursday.
"We shall participate in domestic and international economic
cooperation and competition in more fields and on a higher level,
and strengthen cross-regional economic and technological exchanges
and cooperation," Tsering said at the opening of "the First Forum
on the Development of Tibet, China" in Vienna.
He said Tibet would work hard to develop an open economy and
promote regional economic and trade cooperation on different levels
and by various means, especially with southern Asian countries, in
the wake of the launch of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
In his speech, Nyima Tsering elaborated on the progress achieved
by Tibet over the past four decades and the challenges facing
Tibetans.
He said that to pursue sustainable and balanced development of
the autonomous region, Tibet must continuously push forward the
"frog-leap" mode in economic and social development, accelerate
infrastructure construction and promote the construction of "a new
countryside."
It is a priority of the Tibetan government to improve the
working and living conditions of farmers and herdsmen and increase
their incomes, he said.
Tibet will also deepen reform and innovate systems, he
added.
"We shall follow the established path of market economy
development, treat the market as a guiding force, and continue to
actively reform the investment and financing mechanism so as to
attract more investment," he said.
According to Nyima Tsering, since the establishment of the
Tibetan autonomous region, Tibet has been in the best period of
economic development with the fastest economic growth thanks to the
strong support of the central government of China and unselfish
assistance by other parts of the country.
Tibet has maintained an economic growth rate of over 12 percent
for the past six consecutive years, and in 2006, the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) of the region reached 29.1 billion yuan (about 3.93
billion U.S. dollars), 89 times that of 1965, he said.
Over the last four decades, Tibet has witnessed comprehensive
progress in social construction, he said.
"A fairly complete modern educational and medical care system
has been installed in Tibet," he added.
There are six universities, 118 high schools, seven intermediate
vocational schools and 880 elementary schools in Tibet, with a
total enrollment of 540,000 students and attendance of 96.5 percent
of the school-age population, he elaborated.
The life of the Tibetan people has improved significantly over
the past four decades, he said.
"Social stability is being continuously maintained and people
are enjoying their life and work," he said.
In his words, Tibet is a region rich in local resources, such as
abundant grasslands, mineral, water, forest, flora and fauna, and
tourist resources, which have created great conditions for Tibet's
development.
But to achieve further progress, Tibet faces many challenges, he
pointed out, citing weak infrastructure basis, investment and
vulnerable ecological environment among others.
"We deeply understand we must make a lot more effort in the long
run, and will sincerely implement a human-oriented and scientific
outlook for coordinated and sustainable development, and work hard
to solve existing problems while adhering to a policy of reform and
development," he added.
The senior Tibetan leader encouraged people around the world to
visit Tibet more instead of listening to "untrue" and "unfriendly"
reports about the region.
"Tibet is a place where people live happily and also a beautiful
tourist resort," he said. "I believe a fast-growing and new Tibet
will leave every visitor an unforgettable memory."
The two-day forum on Tibet is jointly sponsored by the State
Council Information Office of China, the Chinese embassy in
Austria, the permanent mission of China to the United Nations and
other international organizations in Vienna and Austrian
organizations including the Organization to Support the Austrian
and Chinese Economic Cooperations.
The multilateral international academic forum on Tibet's
development is the first of its kind held by China's State Council
Information Office, said Qian Xiaoqian, vice minister of the State
Council Information Office of China.
"The forum will surely serve as a window open to the outside
world for Tibet and boost the friendship and mutual trust between
China and Austria," he said.
He expressed his belief that the forum would significantly help
the international community understand a true Tibet, boost Tibet's
healthy development and modernization and cement the mutual
understanding, friendship and cooperation between the Chinese
people and the rest of the world.
The forum has drawn some 200 participants from China, Austria,
several European countries such as Germany, Norway, Bulgaria and
Greece, and international organizations such as the UN Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO).
The forum is focusing on discussions on Tibet's development
mode, Tibetology research and development, its cultural development
and relics protection, education and Tibetan medicine.
(Xinhua News Agency, November 30, 2007)
