Ethnic unity and integration advancing local development in Tibet

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In a small Tibetan village, along China’s longest national highway, rows of vegetable greenhouses catch the eye in the middle of the rugged mountain landscape. Xu Wenjun, a 47-year-old man from neighboring Sichuan Province, brought the "novelty" to the region after he married a local Tibetan woman.

"I learnt greenhouse cultivation in my hometown and then taught the technique to my wife after we got married. We then trained our neighbors. There were no vegetable plantations here before, only highland barley," Xu told CGTN.

Xu and his wife Yangdron met in Yadong, a county bordering India and Bhutan, in 2002 when they both worked there.

"Though we are from different ethnic groups with different cultures, this didn’t concern me too much," said Xu.

Now the family of three live in a Tibetan-style home, and observe all the local traditions and customs. But it's not all Tibetan – they do follow a typical Han diet, which means they can adjust to each other's ways and habits.

"In the beginning, I worried about communication, as I could only understand a little Chinese. But everything turned out to be fine. Now we live a happy life," said Yangdron.

Yangdron lights up butter lamps at home. The family keeps all Tibetan traditions and customs, but also follows Han habits. /CGTN Photo

The couple is not an isolated case in this area. Among the eight villages of the Qiewa Township in Xigaze, seven have multi-ethnic families composed of Han and Tibetan people. The exchange of two different cultures in fact has promoted local economic development as well as social stability.

Xu says many of the changes here were brought about by cross-ethnic marriages. People from inland regions help locals learn new skills and improve their business sense. Besides Han people, different ethnic minorities from other provinces, such as Hui, are also living in perfect harmony in the region.

Liu Junhua, Party Chief of the township, said ethnic unity is vital to local development. Besides the advanced experience and awareness the locals get from inland areas, a stable and peaceful environment is sure to attract more people and resources.

A man of Hui ethnic minority cooks noodles. He operates a restaurant in the Qiewa Township and gets along well with local Tibetans and Han people. / CGTN Photo

The central government has been vocal about the importance of promoting ethnic unity and integration in border regions, especially Tibet. Over the years, thousands of officials from inland cities have been dispatched to the mountainous region to drive local development and promote more exchanges.

Liu said members from the township government who come from inland cities need to familiarize themselves with Tibetan language, while local employees are encouraged to learn Mandarin for better mutual understanding.

Xu and Yangdron have a son of middle-school age, who speaks both Tibetan and Mandarin. They believe he will have a bright future if he continues to appreciate both cultures.