Abstract: Since Beijing launched its policy denominated as "Go West" under the frame of the 10th Five Year Plan, a virtuous process commenced attempting not only to expand the rapid economic and social development achieved by China in the East part of the country, but also to develop these areas in one of the most isolated regions of the world: the Tibet, located in the north-east part of the Himalayas-, which used to be only accessible by air. The implementation of one of the largest engineering projects in the world, with the lifting of a railroad network that would link the heart of China with Lhasa, served to integrate the autonomous region with the so-called Third Pole: one of the largest water reserves of the world, which is positioned in the Asian continent and feeds its water system. The major success of the initiative, which boosted trade and tourism in this strategic region, eventually led to strengthen of this enterprise by building a new railway linking the Tibetan capital Lhasa to Chengdu City Capital of Sichuan province, as is planned in the XIII recently released five-year plan. This policy, which was accomplished by the Chinese authorities, revalued the whole region that previously was considered conflictive due to ethnical disagreements. The stability that was achieved with the development made goes hand to hand with the concern established by the phenomena of climate change and global warming, that is constantly under observation by international organizations.
(Ambassador Miguel Alfredo Velloso, Consultant and member of the Argentine Council for International Relations(CARI),leads the China Working Group) |