The first quarter saw the foreign trade volume reach US$89.3 million in the Tibet Autonomous Region, up 16.2 percent from the same period of 2007.

Imports stood at US$15.09 million, more than three times the comparable figure last year. Exports fell by 9.8 percent to US$74.21 million, said the regional government.

Tibet has seen great improvement in its infrastructure in the past three decades, especially for cross-border trade, thanks to increased investment from the central government of China.

Tibet's imports and exports exceeded US$1.3 billion in the past five years, almost double that of the previous five years, according to the regional government.

The region approved 19 foreign-funded projects last year, with a combined contractual investment of US$41.72 million. And the used volume of foreign direct investment was US$24.18 million in 2007.

(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2008)