Hu Kaihong:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this SCIO briefing. Today, the SCIO will brief the media about our white paper titled "Democratic Reform in Tibet - Sixty Years On". We are delighted to welcome the following attendees to today's briefing: Mr. Norbu Dondrup, a member of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China and executive vice chairman of the regional government; Mr. Dawa, deputy director general of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee; Mr. Luo Jie, director general of Ecological Environment Department of the regional government; and Mr. Ren Jingdong, deputy director general of the Development and Reform Commission of the Tibet Autonomous Region and head of the Energy Bureau.

My name is Hu Kaihong, and I am a spokesperson for the State Council Information Office of China. First of all, I will give you an introduction about the white paper.

The white paper released today implements General Secretary Xi Jinping's important exposition on Tibet, by focusing on people-centered development that is innovation-driven, coordinated, green, oriented toward global progress, and beneficial to all. It is guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the principles of the 19th CPC National Congress.

In order to make Tibet's development full of vigor and vitality, we have made great efforts to boost its economic and social development; safeguard and improve people's livelihood; promote interaction, communication and integration between ethnic groups; as well as strengthen eco-environment protection and construction. 

The White Paper focuses on the backwardness of Tibet's reactionary feudal serfdom in the past, the historical inevitability and significance of democratic reform in Tibet, the progress made through the reform, and the new look that Tibet puts on in the new era of development. With sufficient facts and a significant amount of data, the White Paper expounds that the democratic reform has been a magnificent revolution in Tibet's history with its great significance and far-reaching influence. The reform fundamentally transformed the social system of Tibet; emancipated and expanded the productive forces, and greatly promoted the overall progress of Tibetan society. It carries great significance in the history of the development of human society. 

The White Paper points out that the 60 years of great progress in Tibet bears testament to the fact that the reform conforms to the developmental path of the time, satisfies the essential needs of the different ethnic groups of Tibet, and is in line with the demands of Tibet's social development. This is an inevitability in Tibet's history of development. If the reform hadn't taken place, Tibet would not have been able to make the historic changes in its society and adapt to the developments of the time. Its residents also would not have been able to live happy lives and have their rights fully protected. 

Democratic reform is a heroic undertaking that has benefited Tibet's different ethnic groups. Through the reform, the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet have become the masters of the country. Deeply rooted in the hearts of the people is their dedication to unswervingly upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the socialist path of development, and the system of regional autonomy for ethnic minorities. Now, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet are striving, together with the whole nation, to create better lives for themselves and to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The mission to promote socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era has been launched and the future of Tibet will grow ever brighter. 

The full text of the white paper is about 25,000 words. It consists of three parts: preface, body and concluding remarks. It has been published in Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish and Arabic by the People's Publishing House and Foreign Languages Press. It will be issued across the country by the Xinhua Bookstore.

Now I have briefly introduced the contents, I will give the floor to Mr. Norbu Dondrup to discuss the situation in Tibet since the democratic reform.