Earsplitting drumbeats and colorful banners fluttering in the spring breeze marked the opening on Tuesday of Longwei Furniture Plaza, a private-sector retailer on Jinzhu West Road in the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Zhang Juechun, manager of Longwei, said the store would offer more than 2,000 types of furniture. It covers 3,000 square meters and cost 10 million yuan (about 1.37 million U.S. dollars) to build.

"The Lhasa unrest did produce an adverse impact on the economy and social life in Tibet in the short term," Zhang said.

But, the manager added that over the longer term, the western part of China would continue growing and market opportunities would abound.

Life has gradually returned to normal after the March 14 riot that was believed to have been organized, premeditated and masterminded by backers of the Dalai Lama.

The unrest, which involved violent crimes against people and property, led to the deaths of at least 18 innocent civilians and one police officer. It also left 382 civilians and 241 police officers injured.

Rioters set fire to seven schools, five hospitals and 120 residences, and 84 vehicles were burned and 908 shops were looted. Total damage has been estimated at more than 244 million yuan.

According to local officials, 500 or so of the shops that were damaged or looted have resumed business thus far. Government agencies in Tibet have decided to extend aid to businesses that were affected by the riots.

The government of the Tibet Autonomous Region has promised to exempt the 908 damaged shops from business and corporate income taxes, urban maintenance and construction taxes and educational surcharges.

Shop owners will not have to pay personal income tax from March 1 this year to April 28, 2010.

Additionally, local authorities have allocated 600,000 yuan to seven schools burned. The money will go for repairs and new equipment.

Chilai Doje, secretary of the Chengguan District Committee of the Communist Party of China, said the situation had been brought under control in Lhasa, where production and social order had returned to normal.

"The government is capable of safeguarding social stability and advancing a prosperous market in the city," said Chilai Doje.

(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2008)