Tibet is now at its best period of development and stability, said a top Tibetan official during a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua.

"We have all the reasons to say that Tibet is now all at its best time. It's now enjoying a speedily growing economy, a solid unity of ethnic groups and a consolidated border security," said Qiangba Puncog, chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region.

"Tibet didn't have even one inch of highway decades ago, but now boasts 30,000 kilometers. And what's more important is that people's life has been much improved than in the past," said Puncog.

According to Puncog, the living conditions for the Tibetan people have undergone "sea changes" over the past decades. Many daily things, for instance telephones, TV sets and Internet access, that Tibetans didn't even dreamed of have entered numerous families.

The annual average growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) of Tibet, which has a population of 2.4 million people, has been more than 10 percent for ten straight years and the growth rate even reached 12.2 percent in 2004, bringing the region's total GDP to a record 21.154 billion yuan (US$2.56 billion).

In the same year, the annual per-capita net income of Tibetan farmers and herdsmen stood at 1,861 yuan (US$225).

"Though the amount was somewhat lower, its increase rate has kept accelerating," he said.

In comparison, the disposable income of the urban Tibetans was 8,200 yuan (US$991) in 2004, an increase of 1.8 percent ona yearly basis.

In 2004, Tibet's per-capita GDP reached 7,772 yuan (US$939.7), 75 percent of the country's average and listed 23rd among China's all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

At the same time, Tibet's fixed assets investment rose up to 16.844 billion yuan (US$2.03 billion), up 25.7 percent over that of the previous year.

"With the central government enhancing its mine exploration work in Tibet, Tibet's advantages in mineral mines are showing up and catching the eyes of outsiders," said Puncog.

Puncog said he viewed Tibet's cultural and historical richness as greatly attractive to travelers from other parts of the world. He said the region has enormous development potential.

The central government, said Puncog, has poured an annual average of more than 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) into Tibet in the past years to start big projects and update local infrastructure.

"Together with investment from other channels including civil investment, there is more than 16 billion yuan (US$1.93 billion) of investment poured into Tibet annually."

He said some people, especially those affected by western media's reports, have no idea about the real situation in Tibet before their visit to the region.

"But when they went out there, they would be stunned by fast development in Tibet and harmonious relations between different ethnic groups," said Puncog.

"To my knowledge, the current situation in the aspect of ethnic relations is the best Tibet has ever experienced," said Puncog.

Judging from Tibet's development process in the past half a century, he said, Tibet's successful development should firstly be attributed to incessant help and support from the central government. This has made Tibet's economic takeoff possible and successful.

"The relations between different ethnic groups are all at its best time, after decades of positive efforts by the people," said Puncog. "We must cherish and safeguard the current situation with careful endeavors that we might do to protect our eyes."

Puncog said that after examining Tibet's history since its peaceful liberation in 1951, one can conclude that the more the ethnic groups unite, the more will Tibetan economy and society develop. Puncog said that the reverse is true also. The more there are rifts between ethnic groups, the more likely Tibet will suffer economic setbacks, social unsteadiness and troubles.

"Ethnic unity is no doubt the most important precondition for Tibet's development," he said.

If the current situation in Tibet can be maintained, according to Puncog, Tibet will have a strong chance to turn its potential into fact.

Tibet has witnessed a great deal of barriers and hardships when seeking the right way for development and has now grasped it, he said.

"And we have no reason not to stick to that manner since it promises the Tibetan people a whole new world," he said.

He said with the upcoming operation of the Qinghai-Tibetan railway, Tibet tourism will experience another robust boosting.

According to experts, once energy, communications and other infrastructure in Tibet have been adequately improved, people can expect fresh leaps in its development.

Currently in Tibet, there are more than 40 foreign invested projects under construction, with some jointly handled by investors from different countries.

(Xinhua News Agency June 2, 2005)