The people of all ethnic groups in Tibet have made remarkable social and economic achievements in the past 60 years under the leadership of the CPC. The Party must take full advantage of the valuable experience it gained in the past to guide the future development of Tibet. This is an important principle that should be followed when implementing the policies developed at the fifth Tibet Work Conference.

Tibet will have a bright future only if it takes the socialist road under the leadership of the CPC. The Party is a faithful representation of the fundamental interests of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, including the Tibetan people. Over the past 60 years, the CPC used the basic principles of Marxism in a timely fashion to formulate a series of measures and policies in accordance with the actual situation of Tibet in every critical moment of Tibet's historical development.

Leapfrog development, long-term peace and stability in Tibet will not be achieved unless we uphold national unity and oppose secession. In the process of building a well-off society that is united, democratic, wealthy, civilized and a harmonious socialist new Tibet, we must always adhere to the leadership of the Party and the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and continue to consolidate and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy to ensure that the Tibetan people will have a more beautiful future.

Only by firmly safeguarding China's unification and fighting against separation can Tibet achieve a leap-forward development and maintain long-term order and stability. Tibet has been an inalienable part of China's territory since ancient times and the people from every ethnic group in Tibet are an indispensable part of the big family of the Chinese nation.

Tibet's future and fate have always been closely associated with that of the entire country. Like China's other regions, Tibet faces the contradiction between the growing material and cultural needs of the people and the low level of production. Meanwhile, Tibet also faces the special contradiction between the people from every ethnic group in Tibet and separatist forces represented by the Dalai Clique.

The Dalai Clique is a political separatist group that represents the residual forces of the feudal serf-owner class in Old Tibet under the rule of theocracy, enjoys the support and manipulation of international hostile forces, damages Tibet's development and stability and seeks the "independence of Tibet."

The history since the peaceful liberation of Tibet has fully shown that social stability is in the fundamental interests of the people from every ethnic group in Tibet. It is imperative to understand the long-term, tough and complicated characteristics of the fight against separation, see through the reactionary nature of the Dalai Clique, crack down on any separatist activity and firmly safeguard the outcomes of Tibet's progress and development.

Only adhering to the development path with Chinese characteristics and Tibetan features can Tibet realize all-around, balanced and sustainable development. Combining the basic line, principles and policies of the Party with Tibet's actual situation is the successful experience of the Party in Tibet. The central government has established a socialist market economy on the ruins of Tibet’s feudal serf economy by properly handling the commonalities and differences between Tibet and China’s other regions as well as the dialectic relationship between Tibet and the entire country and accordingly adopting polices and measures that are in line with Tibet's context.

To promote Tibet's leap-forward development, it is imperative to adhere to the principle of combining the plans and decisions made by the central government to accelerate Tibet's development with the actual situation in Tibet, deeply understand the particularity of Tibet in terms such as natural environment, social conditions and development capacity, fully utilize Tibet's advantages and potential, change development philosophies, innovate development models, enhance development quality and accomplish the leap-forward development based on the scientific outlook on development.

Tibet will form a lively situation of broad unity in all aspects only if the united front work is carried out properly. The united front work, especially the ethnic group and religious work, is an important part of the Party's work in Tibet. It has played a very important and special role during various historical periods such as the peaceful liberation of Tibet, the democratic reform, the socialist construction and the reform and opening up in 1978.

We should always hold the great banner of patriotism and socialism to win the popular support and gather strength to unite all the forces to isolate and combat the very few separatists. We should adhere to promoting the equality, unity and progress of various ethnic groups; the development of common prosperity of various ethnic groups; the communication, exchanges and blending of various ethnic groups; national unity and social stability as an important standard of measuring the effectiveness of the ethnic group work, and firmly establish the "three essential interdependences" concept, which means that the Han nationality is inseparable from ethnic groups, ethnic groups are inseparable from the Han nationality, and ethnic groups are inseparable from each other.

We should also fully and correctly implement the Party's basic principles to protect the freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities, maintain the normal order of Tibetan Buddhism and unite religious believers with non-religious people to work together for the socialist construction in Tibet.

We have forged together to build a glorious history and we need to struggle together for a better future. We should treasure the current stable and peaceful political situation and the rare historical opportunity for development under the strong leadership of the Party with comrade Hu Jintao as the general secretary. We should also pay special attention to the implementation of the spirit of the Party's fifth working conference on Tibet and continue to write more gorgeous new chapters of Tibetan history to greet the 90th anniversary of the founding of the CPC with splendid achievements.

(By Du Qinglin, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairman of CPPCC.)