The Tibetan delegation of lawmakers arrived in Beijing on Wednesday morning on the train route from Lhasa. This is the first delegation to arrive for the upcoming annual session of the National People's Congress, China's parliament.

Tibetan members on the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) also arrived on the same train for the annual session of CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body.

It is the first time that Tibetan lawmakers and advisors have traveled to Beijing on the Lhasa-Beijing train.

"It is exciting to come to Beijing by train. I have seen beautiful scenery on the way and have noticed the great changes the railway has brought to Tibet," said the CPPCC member Medong Qoezhoeu.

The 1,956-km Qinghai-Tibet railway links Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, and Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province. The world's highest and longest railway began passenger transport on July 1, 2006, enabling rail travel between Tibet and other parts of China for the first time.

Qoezhoeu said that she would make proposals to improve infrastructure in regions inhabited by ethnic minorities at the upcoming session.

A NPC deputy Baidan Como said she would lobby the government to improve the welfare of herdsmen.

The Tenth National Committee of the CPPCC convenes its fifth annual plenary session on March 3.

The 10th National People's Congress opens its fifth plenary session on March 5.

Source: Xinhua