Chinese President Xi Jinping, who leads a central delegation, arrived in Lhasa, capital of Xizang Autonomous Region, on Wednesday (Aug. 20) to attend activities in celebration of the region's 60th founding anniversary.
Xi Jinping, as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, President of the country, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, led a central delegation to Lhasa to attend the celebrations for the establishment of the Xizang Autonomous Region, marking the first time in the history of the Party and the country.
What deeper significance does this historic visit to the Xizang Autonomous Region hold? What issues did General Secretary Xi Jinping focus on, and what did he emphasize?
Warm Welcome from the Snowy Plateau
On Aug. 20, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, and the delegation received a warm welcome from people of various ethnic groups in Xizang at the airport and in Lhasa's city proper.
Around noon, Xi's plane landed at Lhasa Konggar International Airport, greeted by a cheering crowd. Xi stepped out of the cabin and waved to the people.
Xi walked down the airstairs and was presented with a hada -- a scarf-like white silk used by people in Xizang for respect and blessings. Dressed in festive attire, people from different ethnic groups waved red flags and flower bouquets, dancing to joyful rhythms.
Crowds lined the streets to welcome the convoy. Xi opened the car window and waved to the people.
Xi is accompanied by Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the central delegation, as well as Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee. Both Wang and Cai are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
Building Modern Socialist New Xizang
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks after listening to work reports from the CPC Xizang regional committee and the regional government.
He emphasized that Xizang should steadily advance high-quality development and continue to make solid efforts on the four main tasks of ensuring stability, facilitating development, protecting the eco-environment, and strengthening the borders.
Xi noted that since the establishment of the Xizang Autonomous Region 60 years ago, its economic and social development has achieved remarkable progress, leading to profound changes in the plateau region.
Governing Xizang, ensuring its stability and promoting its prosperity must begin with maintaining political and social stability, ethnic unity and amity among different religions, Xi said, calling for further advancing the building of a community for the Chinese nation.
Xi emphasized the need to promote two-way exchanges in economy, culture, and personnel between Xizang and other parts of China, and to guide Tibetan Buddhism in adapting itself to socialist society.
He noted that Xizang needs to develop competitive plateau industries based on local conditions, with a particular focus on industries of agriculture and animal husbandry with local features, as well as the clean energy sector.
Xizang should advance major projects such as the hydropower project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River and the Sichuan-Xizang Railway project in a vigorous, orderly and effective manner, Xi said. He also called on the region to promote ecological conservation, and to make coordinated efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, expand green development, and pursue economic growth, so as to protect "the roof of the world" and "the water tower of Asia."
Moreover, he stressed the importance of upholding the CPC's leadership over work related to Xizang.
(Source: Xinhua)
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