SCIO briefing on Xizang Autonomous Region's economic and social development achievements over 60 years

China News Service:

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is known as Asia's "water tower" and a "stabilizer" of global climate security. What successful practices has Xizang undertaken that can be promoted globally in creating an ecological civilization highland in China and even the world and promoting green development? Thank you.

Wang Junzheng:

Thank you for your question. I'll answer this one. A good ecological environment is the foundation for human existence. We always regard the protection of the ecological environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as the greatest value, the greatest responsibility and the greatest potential. We practice Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, coordinate the relationship between development and protection, and focus on the major issue of ecology clearly defined by the general secretary for Xizang. We continue to prioritize the ecology and put ecological protection first. The 10th Party congress of the autonomous region held in 2021 put forward the goal of striving to build a national ecological civilization highland. We have been working hard around this goal, constantly strengthening the national ecological security barrier, and unswervingly safeguarding all living creatures, plants, rivers and mountains of Xizang.

First, the strictest ecological protection system is being implemented in accordance with the law. We have strictly enforced the law on ecological protection of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, issued regulations on the construction of a national ecological civilization highland in the autonomous region, and strictly implemented the ecological environment zoning control measures. We adhere to the principles of "zero approvals" and "zero introduction" for energy-intensive projects and enterprises with high emissions and backward production capacity, resolutely prohibit polluting projects from entering the plateau, actively promote the construction of national parks, and further advance the greening project of mountains on both sides of the Lhasa River, making Lhasa's mountains greener, its sky bluer and its water clearer. The area of land listed under the ecological conservation red lines accounts for more than 50% of the region's total area, and the area of nature reserves at all levels accounts for 37.95%. Xizang has become the first provincial-level region in the country to establish national ecological civilization demonstration zones at all municipal levels.

Second, we are unswervingly adhering to the concept of green development. In 2024, the total number of green foods, organic agricultural products, geographical indications of agricultural products, and national famous, special, high-quality and new agricultural products in the region reached 404. Green and organic have become bywords for agricultural and livestock products from Xizang. The transformation of the green industry has been accelerating. From 2021 to 2024, 17 national-level green factories and one national-level green industrial park were established, and the plateau's distinctive industries continued to advance in green development, value creation, and innovation.

Third, we are further promoting low-carbon development. Relying on world-class hydropower, wind power and solar energy resources, we adhere to the principle of knowing what to do and what not to do, and have accelerated the construction of clean energy bases, actively contributing Xizang's strength to achieving the goals of peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality. In 2024, the proportion of clean energy power generation in Xizang reached more than 99%, basically achieving full clean power supply, making it the region with the highest proportion of clean energy power generation in the country. The proportion of non-fossil energy consumption reached more than 55%, ranking among the top in the country. Per capita carbon emissions are only one-third of the national average.

Fourth, we are promoting ecological benefits for the people. Ecological compensation systems have been continuously established, optimized and improved in various fields. From 2021 to 2024, a total of 13.68 billion yuan were allocated for grassland ecological subsidies and reward funds, and 2,262,200 farmers and herders enjoyed the grassland ecological subsidies and reward policies; a total of 5,147 million yuan of central government funds for forest ecological benefit compensation had been implemented, and 103,000 people were engaged in the management and protection of public forests full-time or part-time; and the region provided an average of 440,000 ecological jobs annually. In the process of acting on the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, the public has witnessed the truth and strength of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, while those safeguarding the environment have also reaped the benefits of conservation. 

At present, Xizang is still one of the regions with the best ecological environment in the world. This is the result of our firm and resolute implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. We will firmly implement the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, as are snow-covered lands, persevere as guardians to make the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau a common ecological wealth of all humankind, and make new and greater contributions to building a community of all life on the Earth. Thank you.

Zhou Jianshe:

Please continue with your questions.