China and Tibet
incorporated into the People’s Republic of China. 4 In 1965, the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) – which encompasses central and western Tibet – was established, while the eastern areas were divided up into ethnic autonomous prefectures within Sichuan, Qinghai and other neighbouring provinces. 5 Between 1951 and 1980, there were many monumental disruptions to life in Tibet: the suppression of resistance movements; the widespread famine associated with the Great Leap Forward; the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and the escape of the Dalai Lama to India. 6 However, owing to the length of the epoch, this essay will start its investigation in 1980, when Hu Yaobang came into power, recognized the failure of Chinese control, and called for the Communist party ‘ to energetically and fully develop ’ Tibet. 7 Chinese central government investment offered Tibet a route into the modern world, stimulating economic growth which contestably has increased the quality of life for Tibetans. The productive capacity of Tibet’s economy has grown significantly since 1980 , as infrastructure construction – including the Qinghai-Tibet railway, bridges, motorways and a number of hydropower stations – have enabled the region to access domestic and international markets. 8 These transportation networks have led to the extraction and ef ficient movement of the plateau’s metals and minerals (copper, chromite, lithium, gold and borax) from areas which were previously too isolated to transfer the resources to the interior or have sufficient technology needed for exploitation. 9 The party va lues Tibet’s mineral reserves at 600 billion yuan ($96 billion) and estimates that mining could make up a third of the region’s GDP. 10 Better infrastructure, especially the ($4.2 billion) Qinghai-Tibet railway which extends 1956km from Xining to Lhasa, has also fuelled a tourism boom. 11 As Tibet is now more accessible, tourist visits increased from 2 million in 2005 to 33 million in 2018. 12 Tourism generated 55.92 billion yuan ($8.2 billion) in revenue in 2019, bringing large amounts of money into the region, providing entrepreneurial and employment opportunities and creating a positive multiplier effect. This investment in infrastructure which has spurred the economy has trickled down into the incomes of Tibetans: per capita disposable income in Tibet's urban areas has tripled in the past 10 years, reaching 90% of the national average and the annual income of even those in the poorest rural regions is rising. 13 Therefore, it could be said that if Tibetans have higher disposable incomes, their quality of life has increased as they have a greater ability to buy necessities and consumer goods. Furthermore, Chinese central government investment has also created social improvements. The conditions of health facilities in Tibet have considerably improved in recent years. Almost all major towns and cities in the Tibetan Autonomous Region have basic medical facilities. The central government has built many hospitals including the TAR People’s Hospital in Lhasa as well as providing healthcare for Tibetans. 14 This has resulted in an increase of average life expectancy from 61.99 years
4 Demick 2020: 30. 5 Maps of Historical Tibet and Occupied Tibet. 6 A Chronology of Tibet’s History. 7 Demick 2020: 109. 8 Jie 2021.
9 The Price of Gold 2013. 10 Taming the West 2014 . 11 Huang 2017. 12 Fast Track to the Throne 2021. 13 Tabeta 2021; Taming the West 2014 . 14 Main Tibet Hospitals.
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