Senior Chinese leader Jia Qinglin on Thursday called for more research to be conducted on Tibet, stressing the importance of promoting the development of the region and other areas inhabited by Tibetans.

 

Jia, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks while inspecting the Tibet Research Center in Beijing.

 

During a visit to an exhibition of the achievements of the center over the last 20 years, Jia conveyed the congratulations of President Hu Jintao on the achievements made by the center and greetings to all researchers of Tibet in the country.

 

Jia asked the center to strive to become the national or even world academic center in Tibetan research.

 

Established in 1986, the center now comprises five research institutes focusing on study of society and economy, history, religion, contemporary developments and Tibetan medicine.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2006)