Lawful religious activities are under effective protection, and every effort is made to satisfy the religious needs of believers in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, according to a white paper issued by China's State Council Information Office recently.

The region has approximately 46,000 Buddhist monks and nuns, 12,000 native Muslims and over 700 believers of Catholicism, according to the white paper titled "Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era."

Ordinary believers commonly have a scripture room or a Buddhist shrine at home. In Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, traditional religious activities like learning scriptures, debate, initiation as a monk or nun, abhisheka (empowerment ceremony) and self-cultivation are regularly practiced, and examinations on scriptures and subsequent promotion in academic degrees are also held in monasteries on a regular basis, the white paper noted.

Religious and folk activities, including the Shoton Festival, Butter Lamp Festival, Saga Dawa Festival and religious walks around lakes and mountains, take place as customary, noted the document.

The central government and governments at all levels in Xizang fully respect the tradition of reincarnation of living Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism, it said, adding that they strictly follow the "Measures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism" and manage the process in accordance with the law.

Over 98 percent of monasteries and temples now have access to roads, telecommunications, electricity, water, radio and television, noted the white paper, adding that the government allocates over 26 million yuan (about $3.6 million) per annum to cover medical insurance, pension schemes, subsistence allowances, accident injury insurance and health check expenses for all registered monks and nuns.

Nine Tibetan Buddhism colleges, including the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China and Xizang Tibetan Buddhist Institute, have been constructed in China with an investment of 920 million yuan, it said.

The white paper expounded in detail the remarkable human rights progress in Xizang in various fields. Xizang enjoys political stability, ethnic unity, economic development, social harmony and amity among different religions, the document said.

The year 2025 marks the 60th founding anniversary of the Xizang Autonomous Region. Reflecting on the development of human rights in the region over the past six decades, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, Gama Cedain, chairman of the regional government, said that the Party's leadership has provided a fundamental guarantee for lasting stability and high-quality development in the region.

People of all ethnic groups in Xizang have made historic achievements in their rights to subsistence and development, according to the chairman.

(With input from Xinhua)