World to better understand Tibet through white paper: official

The white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council on Regional Ethnic Autonomy of Tibet can help the international community to better understand Tibet, says Qiangba Puncog, Chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region.

Delivering a televised speech Sunday, Qiangba Puncog said the white paper also exposes the lies by Dalai Group and their scheme to separate Tibet from China.

The founding of Tibet Autonomous Region in 1965 signified the establishment of regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet, said the chairman.

A feudal serfdom prevailed in Tibet until 1959, when the system was overthrown in the democratic reform.

Qiangba Puncog said the feudal serfdom badly affected economic development and social progress of Tibet. Tibetans then had no safeguard of their right to life, let alone being masters of the land.

He said regional ethnic autonomy of Tibet is a good practice of the ethnic affairs policy of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government.

Qiangba Puncog said thanks to the regional ethnic autonomy system, Tibetans have elected their own deputies and taken part in governance of state affairs.

Since 1965, the People's Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region, together with its standing committee, has enacted 220 local laws and regulations covering politics, the economy, culture and education.

Qiangba Puncog said the laws and regulations have safeguarded Tibetans' rights and guaranteed economic and cultural development.

He said thanks to the regional ethnic autonomy system, Tibet has witnessed fast economic growth and the improvement of people's life.

The GDP of the autonomous region increased from 327 million yuan (about 39.5 million US dollars) in 1965 to 18.5 billion yuan (about 2.2 billion US dollars) in 2003, with an annual growth rate of 7.8 percent.

Especially during the past 3 years, Qiangba Puncog said, the GDP of Tibet soared at 12.6 percent each year, and the per capita GDP reached 6,784 yuan (about 820 US dollars) last year.

In the past 40 years or so, Tibet has inherited and developed its cultural heritage, Tibetan customs and religions have been fully respected, and people have enjoyed full freedom of religious faith, said Qiangba Puncog.

Source: Xinhua