Editor's note: CGTN's First Voice provides instant commentary on breaking stories. The column clarifies emerging issues and better defines the news agenda, offering a Chinese perspective on the latest global events.

Behind the Xizang Autonomous Region's historic leap from poverty to prosperity and from isolation to openness are the Communist Party of China (CPC)'s pragmatic policies.

But this is not what some Westerners are happy to see.

An opinion article in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Thursday wrongly portrayed Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Xizang this week as "a message of control" and part of the efforts to "reinforce Communist Party rule," aimed at "reshaping cultural identities."

Such narratives not only misconstrue the realities on the ground but also undermine the progress and harmony the Chinese government has fostered in Xizang. China's development strategy is based on policies of ethnic unity and respect for regional culture within the framework of national unity. It is therefore crucial to set the record straight.

The Chinese government recognizes Xizang's unique cultural heritage and has established autonomous governance to ensure that the Tibetan language, customs, and religious traditions are respected.

Tibetan Buddhism remains a treasured part of daily life in Xizang. While China's policy encourages the practice of religion within the Constitution and laws, it is not about erasing faith. It is about ensuring that religion plays a positive role in social stability, harmony, and national development.

In sharp contrast to the Western allegation that the Chinese government "sought to forge a singular national identity centered on the Han Chinese majority and loyalty to the Communist Party," ethnic and religious identities have been fully guaranteed in Xizang.

More than 1,700 religious and folk events and pilgrimages around lakes and mountains play a vital role in safeguarding traditional customs, according to a white paper, "CPC Policies on the Governance of Xizang in the New Era: Approach and Achievements."

Xi's Xizang trips cannot be interpreted as "tightening party control over ethnic minorities." The core of the government's policies in Xizang is stability, ethnic unity, and shared prosperity, and Xi's recent visit embodies the commitment to these principles. It is also a testament to the importance the Chinese government gives to Xizang's development and the well-being of its people.

Over the past six decades, the Chinese government has transformed Xizang from an underdeveloped frontier into a region with sustained economic growth and improved infrastructure. The living standards of all ethnic groups have been raised.

Large-scale infrastructure projects, such as the newly launched $167 billion hydropower project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, are engines of employment, business opportunities, and regional integration. They signal a commitment to lifting the local people out of poverty and connecting Xizang to the broader national and global economies.

As a result of these endeavors, Xizang's GDP hit 276.5 billion yuan ($38.7 billion) in 2024, which was 155 times higher than in 1965. The average life expectancy in Xizang has increased to 72.5 years, up from just 35.5 years in the 1950s.

But some Westerners, while accusing the Chinese government of "tightening control" over the region, turn a blind eye to these and other achievements Xizang has witnessed in the past six decades.

Regrettably, some Western media outlets are dominated by geopolitical agendas that seek to destabilize China or impede its rise and their narratives misrepresent the will of the people.

As China continues to promote ethnic unity, economic prosperity, and religious harmony, it stands as a model for managing diversity in a vast, multi-ethnic nation. But sadly, this is not what some Westerners are happy to accept.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com. Follow @thouse_opinions on Twitter to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)