Global scholars discuss enduring impact of peaceful liberation of SW China's Xizang

Scholars from multiple countries, as well as major Chinese research institutions and universities, on Saturday exchanged views on high-quality economic development paths in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, the region's progress and experience in human rights protection, and the value of Xizang's ecological protection endeavors. 

The international academic symposium, including visiting scholars from the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Belgium and Austria, was held in the regional capital of Lhasa and focused on the achievements and implications of the region's development on the 75th anniversary of Xizang's peaceful liberation.

"Xizang has made historic progress in economy, society, culture and other fields over the 75 years since its peaceful liberation, which is closely linked to China's effective local governance system," said Chen Guoquan, director of the Center for Chinese Local Government Innovation at Zhejiang University, which is located in east China.

Leveraging a government-led paired-up assistance program, this region pools manpower, materials and funds to shore up development weaknesses, he said, adding that Xizang's governance practice fully proves that the locally adapted governance model constitutes an institutional advantage driving leapfrog development in border areas.

Xu Wenhua, Party secretary of the Institute of Ethnic Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, shared insights based on his seven years of work in Xizang. "The tremendous changes over 75 years prove that Xizang's peaceful liberation has reshaped the historical course of the plateau and enabled people of all ethnic groups to become true masters of this land. The Party's governance strategy for Xizang has demonstrated strong vitality in border-area practice."

Georg Vavra, former project researcher of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, noted when talking about human rights development in Xizang, that the region has achieved remarkable progress in terms of the right to subsistence and development over the past 75 years.

"Xizang is no longer a 'forbidden land' locked in the past. It is a region where high-speed internet reaches the highest plateau and 5G base stations stand near Mount Qomolangma. This connectivity allows the people of Xizang to share their unique culture with the world while enjoying the comforts of the 21st century," he said.

Krishna Prasad Oli, former ambassador of Nepal to China and ecological expert of the Nepal National Planning Commission, said in his keynote speech: "Protecting Xizang's ecosystem is not only a regional priority but also a shared global responsibility. By integrating traditional wisdom with modern science, Xizang can set an example for global ecological governance at high altitudes."

He said that the Chinese central government and the Xizang local authorities steadily advance ecological conservation by enacting and enforcing stringent policies and laws, carrying out large-scale afforestation campaigns, and promoting clean energy.

Nyima Tashi, a leading figure in Tibetan-language information technology and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that AI empowerment can help Xizang's cultural and tourism sector shift from a ticket-based economy to an experience-oriented economy, revitalize cultural relics, boost local prosperity and border stability through cultural tourism, and balance ecological conservation and economic gains.

(With input from Xinhua)