New city established in Tibet

Zeng Wanming (R), director of the regional organizational department, and Zhao Shijun, chief of the Communist Party of China in Nyingchi, were at the ceremony. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A ceremony marking Tibet's Nyingchi prefecture's elevation to a prefecture-level city was held on Friday.

"Upgrading into a prefecture-level city, Nyingchi will be renewed with new energy, and it will become a key link between the "One Belt, One Road" strategy and the economic corridor of Bangladesh, China, India, and Burma,” said Zeng Wanming, director of the regional organizational department.

Zeng said it will eventually help to stimulate the development of the Himalayan Economic Cooperation Belt.

The ceremony also drew officials from the regional government and city residents.

Nyingchi was raised to its new status by the State Council in March.

A prefecture is a branch of the regional government, while an upgraded prefecture-level city is its own governmental entity.

Located in southeastern Tibet at an average altitude of 3,100 meters, Nyingchi is now the fourth prefecture-level city in the Tibet autonomous region. The others are the regional capital, Lhasa, and the prefectural-level cities of Qamdo and Xigaze.

Nyingchi is a top tourist destination in Tibet. Situated on the Yarlung Zangbo River, it has the lowest altitude in Tibet and a warm and temperate climate.

Nyingchi received 2.78 million tourists in 2014 and generated tourism revenue of 2.58 billion yuan ($422 million).

Its GDP hit 9.28 billion yuan in 2014. Its rural per capita disposable income reached 9,582 yuan, urban per capita disposable income at 19,526 yuan.