West-Development Strategy to Boost Tibet Economy

Deputies of Tibetan ethnic group to the on-going 3rd Session of the 9th National People's Congress (NPC) said Monday that the strategy of large-scale development of western China has provided their autonomous region with an unprecedented opportunity.

Raidi, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Autonomous Regional People's Congress, said the people in Tibet should emancipate their minds, renew their concepts and do away with their conservative ideas, so as to boost economic growth, promote stability and open themselves wider still to the outside world.

Tibet boasts abundant natural resources, and it has scored marked improvements in environments in for foreign investment, including infrastructure projects including communications, energy and telecommunications, he noted.

Moreover, he said, "We sincerely welcome foreign and domestic investors to Tibet for cooperation and development."

Legqog, chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, noted that Tibet must open itself wider to the outside world in an unprecedented manner and, in order to realize its development in great leaps, Tibet has to integrate its economy with both domestic and international markets.

Tibet is expected to hold a investment fair in Hong Kong with a large batch of construction projects to be listed for public bidding in an effort to double the foreign investment this year, he noted. Tibet would take active measures to open and invigorate its traditional trade markets in frontier areas.

To facilitate its leap in the new century, Legqog said, Tibet will prioritize the development of its communication and energy, and list them top on its development agenda. Tibet is planning to build, among other projects, the China-Nepal Highway, Tibet-Xinjiang Highway, as well as roads from Lhasa, capital of Tibet, to other major cities in Ali and Chamdo prefectures on the Highland.

Meanwhile, he said, Tibet is currently working hard to have the construction of its first rail rout get approval and the project launched.

The autonomous region will invest 6 billion yuan (723 million US dollars) this year on the construction of infrastructure projects, more than in any previous years. Meanwhile, he added, it will work hard to accelerate the progressing of projects involving the development of optical fiber telecommunications and satellite-to-earth telecommunications, growth of water-saving agriculture and animal husbandry, and processing of farm and livestock products as well as traditional Tibetan pharmacies.

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