Tibet Records Sound Economic GrowthThe gross domestic product (GDP) of Tibet Autonomous Region surged 8.9 percent to reach 485 million yuan in the first half of this year, according to official statistics.The consumer price index in the first five months edged down 2. 8 percentage points. The region sown crops on 231,000 hectares of land this year, 0. 5 percent more than last year's figure, with fine strains sown on more than 70 percent of the land. The output of township enterprises totaled 292 million yuan by the end of June, up 8.26 percent. The industrial output value in the six months stood at 616 million yuan, a rise of 12.8 percent over the same period last year. The turnover of the telecommunications sector soared 59 percent to 163 million yuan in the period. Local tourist departments played host to 185,000 Chinese and foreign tourists in the first six months, up 57 percent year-on- year. Tourism-generated income reached 90 million yuan, a rise of 31 percent. The foreign exchange earnings from tourism jumped 72 percent to 14 million U.S. dollars. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |