Xi stresses building modern socialist new Xizang

LHASA -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged Xizang autonomous region to build a modern socialist new Xizang that is united, prosperous, civilized, harmonious and beautiful.

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.

Senior leaders including Wang Huning and Cai Qi attended the meeting.

Xi, who leads a central delegation, arrived in Lhasa, capital of Xizang, on Wednesday to attend activities in celebration of the region's 60th founding anniversary. He will attend a grand gathering in Lhasa on Thursday.