Chinese mountaineering team in Tibet officially unveiled

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The Chinese Mountaineering Team (Tibet) was established in Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Friday. The team will build based on local talent and integrate the resources of the Chinese national team as the country aims to build a joint side with forces from provinces and other autonomous regions.

The latest move came as part of the continuing reform adopted by the national authorities the General Administration of Sport of China.

This has also been part of an innovative initiative of the administration to deepen sports reform, give full play to local advantages, build a group of mountaineering teams and expedite the development of mountaineering in China.

In 1955, China established its national mountaineering team. Five years later, the Tibet autonomous region had its mountaineering team. Its members, as experienced climbers armed with a good knowledge of the region's terrain, thus became the mainstay and backbone of the national team.

The Tibetan mountaineers have made important contributions to China's mountaineering.

Besides mountain climbing, the team will also start collecting the bodies of deceased climbers from previous expeditions. They will also collect garbage left on the mountain slopes at altitudes above 5,200 meters.

As the key area of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tibet Autonomous Region is at average 4,000 meters above sea level. It has five peaks higher than 8,000 meters, more than 70 peaks higher than 7,000 meters and much more above 6,000 meters. Such a geographical background greatly favors Tibet to standout in the sport of mountaineering.

While speaking to the media, Nima Ciren, captain of the China Mountaineering Team (Tibet), said, “The high peaks are mainly in Tibet so it is important to our mountaineering. The establishment of the China Mountaineering Team (Tibet) means that we are promoted and we will do our assignments nearby.”