China Voice: Tibet critics missing opportunities to help region grow

A white paper on Tibet published by the Chinese government on Sunday has evoked a new round of attacks from Western media on the the country's policies on the autonomous region and its status quo.

"Stamping out religious freedom" and "launching Tibetan cultural genocide" are some of the criticisms frequently seen in Western media.

Time and again, such accusations have been touted for various political reasons over the years, blind to the earthshaking changes in the frigid Himalayan region in southwestern China over the past decades: it is the rule of the Communist Party of China that has ended serfdom in Tibet and brought prosperity to a previously backward region.

Anyone who has been to Tibet would find these accusations ridiculous. People visiting the region see Tibetan people living in much better houses than those in other parts of China, thanks to heavy investment from the central government in recent years.

It is easy to conclude that Western critics pointing a finger to China's Tibetan policy have not set foot in the "mysterious" land, otherwise they would be singing a different tune. Driven by politics, critics often try to create a mystery surrounding the region, preventing Westerners from understanding the real Tibet.

Accusers who are engrossed in defaming China's rule in Tibet should be reminded that they are missing opportunities of cooperation with China to improve this plateau of purity.

The previously backward region in China's hinterland has embraced opening up over the past few decades. Isolation used to be the prerequisite for the feudal serfdom under theocracy, a form of government that lasted several hundred years in old Tibet, hindering the region's development.

Tibet has a time-honored history of foreign trade. Overseas investors have the chance to take advantage of its geographical location, preferential policies, rich resources and ethnic traditions.

Visitors can spot Dicos, a U.S.-themed fast food restaurant now owned by Taiwan's Ting Hsin Group, near the landmark Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Dicos plans to set up more than a dozen stores in the region. It is one of the more than 200 overseas investments currently in Tibet.

Tibet is now closely linked to the world. In 2012, the region's foreign trade grew more than 152 percent year on year to more than 3.4 billion U.S. dollars, more than 850 times that of 1953.

By the end of 2012, actualized foreign investment in Tibet was 470 million U.S. dollars. The region has also strengthened trade ties with India and Nepal, and has built five land ports and 28 border markets to promote trade. Tourism, transport, food, animal breeding are among sectors in great need of investment, according to Tibet's government.

As China marks the 50th anniversary of the autonomous region's founding this week, more favorable policies are expected to roll out to spur Tibet's growth.

If those accusers really care about Tibetans, they may choose to do something that can really benefit the region. In all senses, groundless accusations cannot do anything good for Tibet. Endi