To Write New Chapters of Development in Tibet for a New Era

As China celebrates the 70th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet this year, the State Council Information Office released a white paper on the historic event and Tibet’s development over the past seven decades. The white paper, titled “Tibet Since 1951: Liberation, Development and Prosperity,” systematically reviewed the great historic progress of Tibet achieving peaceful liberation, launching democratic reform, establishing an autonomous region, advancing socialist construction, practicing reform and opening up, and entering a new era. It objectively demonstrated the great achievements made by Tibet under the leadership of the CPC in political, economic, cultural, society and ecological sectors.

The white paper presented a true and panoramic picture of the new socialist Tibet, and refuted the lies fabricated by some foreign forces with concrete facts, which is of important significance for the international society to have a correct understanding of the profound changes taking place in the autonomous region.

On May 23, 1951, the Agreement of the Central People’s Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet (17-Article Agreement) was signed, officially proclaiming the peaceful liberation of Tibet. A thousand years of darkness have dissipated in the past seven decades, and Tibet has broken free from its backward, autocratic, isolated past to embrace prosperity, democracy, and an open future.

Entering the new era following the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core has attached great importance to the development of Tibet, and General Secretary Xi Jinping has set the direction and made overall plans. All-round progress has been made in all endeavors. Under the strong leadership of the CPC and with the vigorous support of the whole country, Tibet has eradicated extreme poverty. Enjoying a stable social environment, economic and cultural prosperity, and a sound eco-environment, the people now lead better lives and live in contentment. A brand-new socialist Tibet has taken shape.

During the past seven decades, the CPC has united and led the ethnic peoples of Tibet to achieve historic change and unprecedented success. These seventy years have fully demonstrated that the Tibetan people’s fundamental interests can only be protected in a unified country with territorial integrity. Only by upholding CPC leadership, socialism with Chinese characteristics, and regional ethnic autonomy can there be long-term peace, stability and development in Tibet. Only by pursuing reform and opening up can Tibet build its economy and society. Only by seeking people-centered development can Tibet better meet its people’s hopes for a better life. Only by following the Party’s guidelines for governing Tibet in a new era can the region transform into a modern and beautiful new socialist Tibet characterized by unity, prosperity, civility, and harmony.

The world today is undergoing change of a scale unseen in a century. China is at a critical juncture for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and there have been profound changes to the work required and the tasks to be accomplished in Tibet. The guidelines for governing Tibet in the new era, embodying Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, provide answers to a series of questions on the future direction and strategy in governing Tibet and are to be followed in all work related to Tibet.

In the foreseeable future, China will remain committed to the principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, implement the new development philosophy, and create a new development model. Driven by reform and innovation, it will strive to meet the people’s growing expectation of a better life, and make plans to coordinate development and security. It will also ensure that the four main tasks embodied in the guidelines for governing Tibet – ensuring stability, facilitating development, protecting the eco-environment, and strengthening the frontiers – will be implemented. This will ensure success in building a prosperous, harmonious and beautiful new socialist Tibet underpinned by unity, civility and modernization.

The 70th anniversary of Tibet’s peaceful liberation coincides with the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. It is also the year in which China embarks on the great journey toward all-round modernization, after having attained the First Centenary Goal and achieved moderate prosperity in all respects.

Striving for a new era, China will unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping as the core, fully implement the guidelines for governing Tibet in the new era, strengthen the keen sense of identity of the Chinese nation, and ensure national security and long-term stability, continuous improvement of people’s livelihood, sound ecology, as well as solid border defense and frontier security. It is believed that Tibet will embrace a better future in a new chapter of development for a new era.

书写新时代西藏发展新篇章

在西藏和平解放70周年之际，国务院新闻办公室发表《西藏和平解放与繁荣发展》白皮书，系统回顾西藏和平解放、民主改革、自治区成立、社会主义建设、改革开放、进入新时代的伟大历史进程，客观展示在中国共产党坚强领导下西藏政治、经济、文化、社会、生态等各方面取得的伟大成就。

白皮书全面立体真实展现社会主义新西藏，以事实驳斥境外一些势力散布的种种谎言，对于国际社会正确认识西藏翻天覆地的历史巨变具有重要作用。

1951年5月23日，《十七条协议》的签订，宣告西藏和平解放。70年来，西藏从黑暗走向光明、从落后走向进步、从贫穷走向富裕、从专制走向民主、从封闭走向开放，实现了“短短几十年，跨越上千年”的沧桑巨变。

特别是进入新时代，以习近平同志为核心的党中央高度重视西藏工作，习近平总书记亲自为西藏工作把舵定向、谋篇布局，各项事业取得全方位进步、历史性成就。在党中央坚强领导下，在全国人民大力支持下，西藏脱贫攻坚全面胜利，社会大局更加稳定、经济文化更加繁荣、生态环境更加良好、人民生活更加幸福，一个崭新的社会主义新西藏呈现在世人面前。

70年来，中国共产党团结带领西藏各族人民创造了彪炳千秋、利泽万代、亘古未有的历史功绩。历史和实践充分证明：只有坚持维护祖国统一、领土完整，才能保障西藏各族人民的根本利益；只有坚持中国共产党领导、中国特色社会主义制度、民族区域自治制度，才能为西藏长治久安和繁荣发展提供根本保证；只有坚持改革开放，才能推动西藏经济社会全面进步；只有坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，才能满足西藏各族群众对美好生活的向往；只有坚持新时代党的治藏方略，才能建设团结富裕文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化新西藏。

当今世界正经历百年未有之大变局，当今中国正处在中华民族伟大复兴的关键时刻，西藏工作面临的形势和任务发生深刻变化。新时代党的治藏方略科学回答了一系列方向性、全局性、战略性问题，是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想关于西藏工作的集中体现，为进一步做好西藏工作提供了根本遵循。

新征程上，我们要坚持稳中求进工作总基调，把握新发展阶段，贯彻新发展理念，构建新发展格局，以改革创新为根本动力，以满足人民日益增长的美好生活需要为根本目的，坚持系统观念，统筹发展和安全，坚持新时代党的治藏方略，抓好稳定、发展、生态、强边四件大事，努力建设团结富裕文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化新西藏。

西藏和平解放70周年，恰逢“十四五”规划开局之年，是我国全面建成小康社会、实现第一个百年奋斗目标之后，乘势而上开启全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程的第一年。

奋斗“十四五”、奋进新征程，更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，全面贯彻新时代党的治藏方略，铸牢中华民族共同体意识，确保国家安全和长治久安，确保人民生活水平不断提高，确保生态环境良好，确保边防巩固和边境安全，我们就一定能书写新时代西藏发展新篇章，创造西藏更加美好的明天。