The assistance came from 17 supporting provinces and cities, 16 centrally-administered state-owned enterprises, and over 70 Communist Party of China Central Committee departments and state ministries and commissions.

Over the past seven years, these groups have also sent more than 3,000 officials and professionals to Tibet.

Assistance provided by education and medical professionals, in particular, has delivered quality teaching and medical services to the plateau region.

It has been hailed a "revolution" in achieving remarkable progress in the development of Tibet's education, medical and health fields. It has also successfully rallied public support and promoted ethnic unity.

Thursday marks the 60th anniversary of democratic reform in Tibet that abolished ruthless theocracy and serfdom and established a socialist system that has seen booming economic, political, religious, cultural and social development on the plateau.