Xinhua Commentary: Tibet's progress a powerful message for Western naysayers
LHASA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Tibet Autonomous Region celebrates the 70th anniversary of its peaceful liberation this year, a triumphant moment for its socialist system and governance that delivers a powerful message to Western politicians who fail to acknowledge its enormous progress.
In 1951, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet, known as the 17-Article Agreement officially proclaimed the peaceful liberation of Tibet.
That liberation, together with the epochal democratic reform in 1959, has helped Tibet cast away its regressive, autocratic, and isolated past to embrace prosperity and an open future.
Nearly 3.65 million people live in the region, up 21.52 percent from 2010. Over 86 percent of the population is Tibetan.
Tibet's average life expectancy increased from 35.5 years in 1951 to 71.1 years in 2019.
The region has more than 1,700 sites for Tibetan Buddhist activities with 46,000 monks and nuns. In an effort to preserve traditional Tibetan culture, the state and the region have invested over 5 billion yuan (770 million U.S. dollars) in the renovation of cultural relics. Tibetan opera, Gesar, Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa have been included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Having eradicated absolute poverty, Tibet is in an accelerated drive of economic development with modernized infrastructure.
Tibet's achievements should be sufficient to prompt certain individuals in the West to drop their fixation on the Shangri-La myth, which idealizes eternal theocratic rule and a spiritual world, and sees any modern development as worthy of condemnation.
Over the past 70 years, leaving the dark ages behind, Tibet has replaced the cruel, feudal serfdom system with a socialist system, exercised regional ethnic autonomy, and carried out reform and opening-up along with the rest of the nation.
As a region that occupies an important place in the nation's security paradigm, Tibet receives significant attention from the central authorities, and massive assistance from other provinces to boost its development. The central budget has funded key infrastructure projects in the region, including railways and airports.
In order to maintain lasting stability and sustain development, Tibet steadfastly opposes secessionist plotting. The 14th Dalai Lama and his followers, supported by Western anti-China forces, have over the years continued attempting to promote "Tibetan independence" by provoking incidents that jeopardize peace and stability in Tibet.
These political exiles, as well as certain Western politicians and organizations, have launched a misinformation campaign targeting Tibet. They call liberation "repression" and demonize China's policy in the region. Their cries of "cultural destruction" and "genocide" do not carry a shred of truth. Their frequent accusations regarding ethnic, religious, democratic and human rights issues are in fact driven by the idea of "Tibetan independence" to meddle in China's domestic affairs.
These narratives concerning Tibet reflect either sheer ignorance or hegemonistic thinking tied to imperialist aggressions in the region in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Since the 1980s, Western forces have played an active role in the outbreaks of unrest that have taken place in Tibet.
China, with its ironclad resolve to safeguard national sovereignty and ethnic unity, will never allow the meddling hands attempting to play the "Tibet card" to turn the tables. And any secessionist attempts, which go against history and the common will of various ethnic groups in the region and the whole country, are doomed to failure.
Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, people in Tibet now live moderately prosperous lives, which would have been unimaginable before the region's peaceful liberation. They are sure to create an even brighter future through unity, modernization drive and continued support from the central authorities.
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Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia met H.E. Zhou Qian, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Georgia today.
Friendly and strategic partnership between the two countries was noted with satisfaction at the meeting. Current agenda of bilateral relations was also discussed.
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Successful cooperation between the two countries was also highlighted at the meeting for the development of a special geopolitical location of Georgia, which increases its potential as a corridor connecting east and west.
Historic importance of the visit paid by the Prime Minister of Georgia at the invitation of H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China was highlighted at the meeting and its huge role in solidifying the relations between Georgia and China at a strategic level.
Prime Minister of Georgia most positively reiterated the outstanding role, vision and achievements of effective governance of the President of the People's Republic of China in the transformation and advancement of China, thereby focusing on various wide-scale reforms planned by the Government of China under the leadership of the President, including the initiatives of global significance, as well as different and extraordinary vision of the President of China in solving and regulating the problems witnessed at a regional and international scale.
The Prime Minister of Georgia also commented on the statement made by the Mme President of Georgia in relation to H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China in an interview with a French Television Channel LCI, thereby stating that such wording is categorically unacceptable and alarming.
Referred rhetoric contradicts the attitude of the Georgian authorities and people of Georgia towards China and does not comply with a friendly, strategic partnership spirit of the two countries, thereby harming the friendly relations and partnership between the two countries. According to the Prime Minister of Georgia, it is unfortunate and by far not the first instance when Mme President of Georgia has violated the Constitution by harming the state interests, pursuing individual activities and making personal assessments of international affairs that are not aligned with the government position, as a result of which the international image of the country suffers. Her public and grave breaches of the Constitution have served as a reason for the ruling team to initiate the Impeachment of Mme President.
According to the Prime Minister, Georgia is a parliamentary republic, whereby the president is not entitled to run the foreign policy of the country. It is the exclusive discretion of the Government of Georgia to carry out the foreign policy of the country and such a mandate has only been granted to the Government by the Georgian people. Thus, the statement made by Mme President of Georgia does not even formally express the attitude of the Georgian authorities towards the state and leader of China.
The Prime Minister of Georgia expressed deploration for the statement made by the President of Georgia, thereby expressing hopes that it will not affect or harm the historically most positive relationship dynamics between Georgia and China.
By the close of the meeting, dignitaries expressed readiness to maintain the active agenda of relations and to work for greater solidification of interaction between the two countries.
Press Service of the Government Administration
