As the Qinghai-Tibet railway gets set to launch its maiden run
on July 1, not only is national pride on the rise but continuing
analysis of the practical benefits show the region is likely to
experience an economic boom.
"We have a saying that half of the Tibet's gross domestic
product (GDP) has been left on the road, which will become outdated
once the railway starts running," said Chidain Doje, a professor of
economics at Qinghai University of Nationalities.
While the province of Qinghai and the region of Tibet are both
massively rich in natural resources, their combined economies are
less than one thirtieth the size of Shanghai's. Although the
economic comparison may not be entirely fair, experts agree the
railway will be akin to pulling the cork out of the bottleneck that
has held the region's development back for decades.
A ton of coal or cement now sells for more than 800 yuan (100
U.S. dollars) in Lhasa, the regional capital of Tibet, almost four
times the price in the country's inland provinces. Transportation
costs for even these essential products now account for 75 percent
of the price.
Once the new rail line becomes fully operational, the region's
total capacity to move products in and resources out is expected to
increase 45 times its current level.
With projections and calculations such as these, it's little
wonder people are talking about the dawning of a golden age of
development for what many called China's final frontier.
Now developers can seriously consider mining and manufacturing
as viable industries for Qinhai and Tibet. The railway will mean
they can now get heavy machinery into the remote, resource-rich
region and in turn they can move raw materials by the millions of
tons all the way to port cities.
The railway is expected to have its biggest and most immediate
impact on Tibet's tourism industry. Even in its relative remoteness
more than 2.5 million tourists are expected to come to Tibet this
year. Now that travelers can jump a train in Shanghai and get off
in Lhasa tourism is expected to double by 2010 with annual direct
tourism income of 5.8 billion yuan (US$725 million), said Xu Hao,
deputy director of the Tibet regional tourism department. The
regional government is working hard on improving tourist
infrastructure to meet the influx of visitors that are expected by
the end of the decade.
"As transportation improves the development of natural
resources, local talent and the spreading of (Western China)
culture will all benefit," said Zhou Liqun, head of the economics
school of the prestigious Nankai University.
(Xinhua News Agency June 23, 2006)