Sharachchandra Bhandary in Lhasa

China's Xizang Autonomous Region (XAR) has made great progress in the fight against poverty over the past few years, with the development of small and cottage industries covering a wide range of fields being a contributing factor. As the Central Government along with XAR prepares to mark the 60 th anniversary of the establishment of XAR, it continues to move forward on the path of peace, progress and prosperity.
A local resident of Bahe Township Chhawa Tenjin, used to search for temporary jobs to support his family. The crops he grew on his small piece of land was meager to feed his family of four.
Fortunately, the 50-year-old was recruited by a local hospitality business company some ten years ago and this new opportunity brought him a steady income which ultimately led him to run his own business.
After three-months of training, Chhawa officially became a skilled worker, and his diligent as well as excellent skills earned him a promotion to a team leader in just two years.
"I earned 5,300 yuan every month and I was very happy with the salary," he said.
He was one of the over 50 local residents employed by the hospitality company, while more Bahe residents were expecting to be lifted out of poverty since thousands of enterprises across the country had participated in the battle against poverty in the region. They brought numerous job opportunities and simultaneously increased poor residents' income. Having saved his salary he started an eatery business at the tourist spot. He finds no time to talk from May to October every year as both local and domestic tourists throng Kadinggou scenic spot and its adjoined places.  He is so happy that he along with other friends have started similar businesses and their earnings are adequate to support the family. They don’t have to pay any tax against their income which has motivated them to remain in business in a sustainable manner.
“The battle against poverty is one of the three tough battles that the country must win to build a moderately prosperous society. Improving impoverished people's housing conditions, developing education, and improving healthcare and sanitation quality is our priority,” says Suro Lang, Deputy Mayor of Xiga Village, close to Linzhi, a picturesque city situated in the southwest of Xizng Autonomous Region.
According to Suro, the focus of Xizang's development policy is to align with the country's national development policy, help improve the well-being of the people and boost the development of key industries. In fact, Xizang has been advancing its key industries, including the clean energy, high-tech, and cultural and tourism sectors. These industries have become the drivers of local growth, creating a more resilient and self-sufficient economic model. And the interaction and integration of industries, such as that of culture and tourism with agriculture, transportation and commerce, has enhanced Xizang's self-development capacity.
Special measures taken by the central government have improved the quality of life of the poverty-stricken counties. People from ethnic minorities are given high priority as their number is considerably low. Mumba and Loba are the main inhabitants of Xiga village.
“The XAR has made significant strides in poverty alleviation and development, achieving the eradication of absolute poverty and implementing a comprehensive rural revitalization strategy. Key strategies include targeted poverty alleviation, relocation from uninhabitable areas, ecological conservation compensation, and investments in education and social assistance. These efforts have led to substantial increases in per capita income and improved living standards for formerly impoverished populations,” states Laxmi Niraula, Nepal’s Consulate General based here.
According to Leelamani Paudyal, former Nepali Ambassador to China, as Nepal and China  have signed a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation agreement aimed at promoting a trans-Himalayan multidimensional connectivity network, Tourism is a vital pillar of Nepal's economy, and Pokhara stands out as one of its most popular tourist destinations - including among Chinese visitors. Against this backdrop, launching a direct flight between Lhasa, one of China's top tourist destinations, and Pokhara, a major tourist city in Nepal, holds great significance for both nations. The potential benefits are immense.
Xizang's socio economic transformation over the past seven decades is phenomenal. China's success in poverty alleviation is an unprecedented achievement in human history and is worthy of acclaim. While acknowledging China's achievements, it is of paramount importance to explore the possibility of emulating these successful approaches in our own context. China is willing to share its expertise and experience with developing nations all over the world. As a close and friendly neighbor, Nepal can and should take advantage of this opportunity. Nepal can learn a great deal from Xizang's development models and technology applied since the topography, climate, culture and development challenges in the northern belt of Nepal are similar to those in Xizang.
Ambassador Paudyal is of the view that the massive investment in infrastructure, trade, agriculture and poverty alleviation activities in Xizang will create spillover benefits for Nepal. The road network to the northern border of Nepal is very limited and primitive, whereas a world-class highway network is in place toward Xizang. Nepal has been using Xizang's highway to transport food and construction materials along the northern border. Under such circumstances, the government of Nepal should consider developing a comprehensive program with a time-bound action plan and specific poverty alleviation targets along the northern slope of the Himalayas and solicit expertise, including from China, to execute such a plan. Xizang's high-quality development drive may prompt the Nepali side to bring about speedy development in its own region. Nepal can enhance its manufacturing and export capabilities by inviting investment and advanced technology from China in general and Xizang in particular.
The per-capita income of those lifted out of poverty in Xizang reached 13,800 yuan (about 1,922 U.S. dollars) in 2022, growing faster than the region's per-capita  income of rural residents, said a government paper issued by China's State Council Information Office. Those people lifted out of poverty in Xizang have reliable access to food, clothing, housing, education and medical care, more harmonious living and working conditions, more convenient infrastructure and basic public services, and a proper social security system, according to the Office.
In 2024, Xizang's GDP grew by 6.3 percent, with the social fixed asset investment increasing by 19.6 percent, retail sales of consumer goods by 7.2 percent, and industrial added value of enterprises above designated size by 18.3 percent. The region's industrial structure is becoming increasingly diversified, moving away from natural resource-dependent and labor-intensive industries to more technology-driven and service-oriented industries.
The 2022 GDP of the region reached 213.26 billion yuan (about 29.7 billion U.S. dollars), 2.28 times of that in 2012 calculated at constant prices. The increase represented an average annual growth rate of 8.6 percent, which ranked among the highest in China, the Office stated.
     Moreover, cultural development in Xizang has flourished alongside economic growth, and Xizang's rich historical, cultural and natural resources have contributed to its global recognition as an important tourism destination. The protection and inheritance of the culture of Xizang, especially its intangible cultural heritage, have been central to the region's development. The Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple at the heart of Lhasa continue to attract tourists. The investment and works undertaken in the renovation and recovery of cultural, religious and historic sites all over Xizang has been really massive and impressive. Such tremendous efforts to preserve culture and heritage sites as part of the shared property of humankind is commendable