A street view in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, August 19, 2025. /Xinhua

Editor's note: Qiao Basheng, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a professor at the Institute of China's Borderland Studies, Zhejiang Normal University, and an adjunct professor at Northwest University of Political Science and Law. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

The celebration marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang Autonomous Region was grandly held on August 21 in Lhasa. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the ceremony.

Over the past six decades, under the leadership of the CPC, Xizang has established a socialist system and a local people's democratic government, implemented reform and opening-up and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects. It has also achieved a historic transformation from backwardness to progress, from poverty to prosperity and from isolation to openness.

The CPC guidelines for governing Xizang in a new era, make up the foundation for doing Xizang-related work well

The CPC Central Committee has always attached great importance to work in Xizang. In the historical process of promoting reform, development and stability in the region, it has adopted a series of major policies and measures, explored and developed the guidelines of the CPC for governing Xizang and provided important guarantees for Xizang's sustained economic development, lasting social stability and continuous improvement of people's livelihoods.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has planned and deployed work on Xizang from the strategic height of coordinating both domestic and international situations, establishing the guidelines of the CPC for governing Xizang in a new era, focusing on stability, development, ecology, strengthening the border and leading people of all ethnic groups in the region to forge ahead on the journey of building a socialist modernized new Xizang, achieving comprehensive and historic accomplishments.

History profoundly shows that without the CPC, there would be no New China, and there would be no new Xizang. Put another way, the CPC Central Committee's guidelines and policies on Xizang work have proven to be entirely correct.

Continuously expanding the new practices of the CPC guidelines for governing Xizang in a new era

Unity and stability are the cornerstone of Xizang's development and progress. The implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thinking on strengthening and improving ethnic work has taken root in people's hearts; exchanges and integration among all Tibetan ethnic groups have continued to deepen; the sense of community of the Chinese nation has been continuously strengthened; overall social stability has been maintained; and the foundation for jointly building a socialist modernized new Xizang has become increasingly solid.

Upholding high-quality development is the unyielding principle of the new era. Today's Xizang enjoys a comprehensive transportation network covering highways, railways, aviation and other modes of transport; the main power grid covers all counties (districts, cities); emerging industries such as clean energy, green industry, the digital economy and cultural tourism are developing rapidly; and plateau light industries closely related to the lives of the plateau people have made progress.

Decorations on a street in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, August 19, 2025. /Xinhua

Firmly safeguarding the ecological red line, a series of laws and regulations concerning ecological protection have been officially implemented. Major ecological projects – such as afforestation and greening in the watersheds of the Yarlung Zangbo River, Nujiang River, Lhasa River, Nianchu River, Yalong River and Shiquan River, together with protection and restoration of degraded wetlands and natural forest protection – have been successively carried out, bringing clear waters, green grass and blue skies to the snowy plateau. Today, Xizang is one of the regions with the best ecological environment in the world.

Safeguarding the southwestern frontier of the motherland is an unshirkable responsibility of Xizang. Looking across Xizang, solid progress has been made in strengthening and developing border areas and enriching the people. The infrastructure of border villages and the living and production conditions of the people have been significantly improved; and various industries are thriving.

In the new era, the sense of gain, happiness and security among people of all Tibetan ethnic groups have been constantly enhanced

At present, Xizang has more than 42,000 fourth-level deputies to the People's Congress, of whom Tibetans and other ethnic minorities account for 89.2 percent. In 2024, the per capita disposable income of urban residents in Xizang reached 55,444 yuan (around $7726), 121 times that of 1965; and the per capita disposable income of rural residents reached 21,578 yuan, 199 times that of 1965.

A well-established health service network safeguards the healthy lives of the people, and the average life expectancy in Xizang has increased to 72.5 years. A series of livelihood projects have been implemented, enabling people of all ethnic groups in Xizang to bid farewell to the historical difficulties of access to drinking water, electricity, roads and communications.

In the new era, Xizang fully implements the CPC's policy on freedom of religious belief, respects and protects all religions and sects and maintains religious harmony. Meanwhile, the region has effectively strengthened the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage. The outstanding traditional cultures of all ethnic groups have been preserved and passed on.

As of 2024, Xizang has a total of 3,618 schools of various types and levels, with 96,600 faculty and staff and a total student population of 970,000, accounting for over 25 percent of Xizang's total population. The historic leap in Xizang's education sector has provided talent support and injected endogenic momentum for the region's long-term stability and high-quality development.

Xizang's development cannot be achieved without the support of the central government and the assistance of people from all over the country. Groups of talented officials and professionals have joined hands with cadres and people of Tibetan ethnic groups to jointly compose the Xizang chapter of China's path to modernization.

In the new era, Xizang has entered the period of its best development, greatest changes and most tangible benefits for the people. Following the grand blueprint drawn by Xi, people of all ethnic groups are united and working hand in hand to create an even happier and better life together.