China to build 30 border towns in Tibet this year

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Kalang Village of Bome County in Nyingchi Prefecture in the south-east of Tibet. (Photo courtesy: Xinhua)

(TibetanReview.net, Jan08’20) – China is to start a pilot scheme this year to construct 30 towns on the border of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) as a part of its pledge to improve the quality of urbanization, reported the official Xinhua news agency Jan 8. The pledge was made by Qizhala, chairman of the regional government, while delivering his work report at the opening of the 11th People’s Congress of TAR, the report said.

He has said the project was part of plans to boost the development of Tibet’s border areas in 2020. China’s rapid development of Tibet’s border areas, which has great geostrategic implications given its security perspective, is seen as a matter of serious concern to India. President Xi Jinping has spoken about the urgency to develop and strengthen Tibet’s border security in the past as a part of China’s security.

Qizhala has said that in developing a group of border towns and villages into centres of commerce, logistics hubs or tourist destinations, the regional government will proceed from local conditions, pool strength and resources to upgrade infrastructure, improve public services.

He has vowed to work hard to vitalize border areas and enrich residents’ lives, develop an economic belt along the border and secure the victory of building moderately prosperous villages on the border.

He has said a total of 4,058 people in TAR had been relocated from extreme high-altitude reserves at over 4,700 metres above sea level.

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