(TibetanReview.net, Jul16’26) – China said Jul 16 that it had recently completed the building of the last of five new national border defence villages in Tibet’s Metog country, located just a few kilometres from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Guoxing settlement, in Tibet’s Metog county, is the last of five resettlement projects designed to improve livelihoods in the geographically isolated region. Situated just a few kilometres from the LAC in the Tibet-India border area, the village represents the dual strategy of poverty alleviation and border reinforcement through civilian development, reported China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Jul 16.
The settlement was stated to have transitioned hundreds of residents from hazardous, landslide-prone mountain villages into a modern, tourism-focused hub.
Although people have only lived in the settlement for just over a year, businesses are growing steadily. Tea houses and restaurants bustle with locals and visitors, the report said.
Most of the business owners in the new border settlements tend to be Chinese immigrants, which is encouraged by Beijing.
The construction of homestays with views of Mount Namcha Barwa was stated to have been completed, to be opened soon.
To ensure the long-term economic viability of the border community, local authorities have leveraged Metog’s unique, humid rainforest climate to establish high-value agricultural initiatives. With government backing, agricultural experts cultivated and distributed over 6,000 pots of dendrobium — a highly valued medicinal herb — to local households to establish a sustainable stream of income.
Domestic tourists were already stated to be arriving in the region, drawn by its pristine rainforests and dramatic mountain geography.
“I really enjoy the beautiful settlement surrounded by primeval rainforests and rolling green mountains with modern facilities,” Zhang Jun, a visitor from neighbouring Sichuan province, has said.
Zhang has reportedly noted that thriving civilian populations and tourism play an indirect role in national defence. “I believe tourists can also play an important role in safeguarding the border because there is strength in numbers.”
“If the border settlement can flourish and draw tourists, how dare people from other countries intrude on our land?” Zhang was stated to have quipped.
With infrastructure complete and businesses expanding, local authorities hope Guoxing will serve as a blueprint for sustainable development along “China’s” southwestern frontier, the report said.