Tibet sets economic goals for 2023

The Tibet autonomous region expects to see GDP growth of 8 percent, as well as 8 percent per capita growth in disposable income for urban residents and 10 percent for rural residents in 2023, said Wang Junzheng, the region's Party secretary.

Next year is the starting point for fully implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and the region will deepen opening-up and reform and meet goals for social and economic development, Wang said at the region's annual economic work conference on Tuesday.

"In the coming year, we will strive to maintain steady economic growth, stable employment and stable prices," Wang said.

Wang said for the coming year, the region will work to increase tourism revenue by 25 percent, and will also promote the integration of tourism with sports, teaching, plateau agriculture and animal husbandry, and the health industry.

Additionally, Tibet will focus on the development of oxygen supply industries, and will try to develop more medical facilities and new technology to support the treatment of diseases endemic to the plateau region, and to promote the development of more oxygen products to raise the accessibility and convenience of additional oxygen supply for residents.

Looking back over the past few months, Tibet has undergone steady economic growth, with its GDP expected to rise by nearly 3 percent in 2022, despite the impact of COVID-19, which has ravaged the region since early August.

"This year, the region has effectively carried out measures to maintain economic development despite COVID-19. A series of measures have been enacted to stabilize economic development and minimize the impact of the pandemic," Wang said.

Tibet has invested more than 75 billion yuan ($10 billion) in key projects supported by the central government and spent more than 110 billion yuan on key infrastructure, he said. This includes the construction of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, the opening of two regional airports, investment in new-energy projects, and operation of the Suwalong hydropower station, he added.

Positive economic growth has also registered in other ways. For example, the installed electrical power capacity of operational and under-construction power stations approaching more than 17 million kilowatts, regional grain output exceeding 1.07 million metric tons and the added value of the digital economy, which has seen growth above 10 percent.

"About 51,000 job positions were provided to people from urban areas, and the employment rate of college graduates stands at 95 percent," said Wang. "Meanwhile, 630,000 people in rural areas were provided with job opportunities, and more than 5.5 billion yuan was spent on paying their salaries."