This has made her the youngest member of the autonomous regional delegation of NPC deputies to the ongoing first annual full session of the 10th NPC in Beijing.

"Owing to poor transportation and telecommunications facilities, our area is secluded and suffers a serious shortage of talents," said Xiaohong, deputy head of Mainling town, who had been working for two straight years in Mainling county in Nyingchi prefecture of southeastern Tibet.

Still, major changes have taken place in the life of Lhoba people since China launched its reform and opening-up drive more than two decades ago, said Xiaohong. The per-capita net income of the Lhobas has now reached 2,250 RMB yuan (about US$270), higher than the autonomous region's average level.

Taking a pride in being a member of the state legislature, she acknowledged that she felt even more excited to be able to come to the Chinese capital of Beijing along with her father-in-law, a deputy chairman of the Mainling County Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and also a member of the 10th CPPCC National Committee.

The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, is convening its annual session in Beijing concurrently.

"We held a family dinner to celebrate this joyous event before the two of us left for Beijing," said Xiaohong. "All our family members hoped we would perform our respective duties well on behalf of our people."

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2003)