CRI听力：Tibetans Enjoy Better Life with Support of Central Government

Located in southwestern part of China, the Tibet Autonomous Region stands at an average altitude of over 4,000 meters. Local people have become accustomed to poor living conditions, but with increased investment from the central government, the lives of natives have undergone dramatic changes in recent years.

CRI Reporter Chen Xi has the details.

Reporter:

Forty-four-year-old local farmer Tsewang started a mushroom processing factory a couple of years ago with the help of the local government. As mushrooms from his village have gained popularity, Tsewang has been able to build a 400 square-meter house for his whole family. Equipped with necessary modern home appliances, their life is getting much better.

"In the past, like everyone in the village, my family was poor. But ever since the central government's development campaign for western regions, we have built many roads that leading to the outside market. Now with the processing factory, my family's income is getting bigger and bigger."

Like Tsewang, there are many other people enjoying a better life and taking advantage of the local resources in Tibet. For instance, based on the mushroom processing industry, the average income of locals has greatly increased. By May of this year, basic utilities such as electricity and water, not to mention radios and television, have been outfitted in each household.

Native farmers and herdsmen have also benefited from other developments in their local economy, such as agricultural product processing, vegetable farming and livestock breeding.

According to a survey by local authorities, over 100 projects, involving more than 430,000 locals, have been successfully initiated from 2004 to 2006.

A local official said that more than 30 million yuan have been invested in transferring technology to local farmers and herdsmen, which aims to develop the local industry of Tibet and improve Tibetan people's quality of life.

In 2006, the average annual income in Tibet was around 2,500 yuan, up more than seven times compared with only five years ago.

Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, attributed local progress to the support of the central government.

He said a number of preferential policies have been designed for the region. Specifically, 90 percent of local government expenditure comes from the central government.

"The investment from the central government mainly focuses on transportation, electricity, water supply, housing, education and public health. Particularly, local students enjoy total free medical care. None of tax burden has been laid for local people in the past decades."

Governmental statistics say over 100 billion yuan, or 13 billion US dollars will be allocated to Tibet Autonomous Region from 2006 to 2010, particularly in the construction of airport, rural water supply and electricity facilities.

Chen Xi, CRI News