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This is the 70 years of the all-round development of Tibet’s economy and society, and the all-round development of people. It is also the 70 years of the great leap in Tibet’s political system and people’s livelihood.
Over the past 70 years, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee and the strong support of the people across the country, cadres and masses of all ethnic groups in Tibet have worked arduously and tenaciously. The social system has achieved historic leaps and economic and social development. Tibet has worked with the whole country to build a well-off society in an all-round way. Embarking on a new journey, Tibet is struggling to build a modern, socialist new Tibet that is united, prosperous, civilized, harmonious and beautiful.
From now on, this newspaper has opened a column entitled “70 Years of Snowy Songs · Tibet Settles for a New Era”, which tells about the great historical changes in the 70 years of peaceful liberation of Tibet, especially the story of Tibet’s leap-forward development since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which inspires the military and civilians. Contribute to writing a new chapter in the long-term stability and high-quality development of the snow-covered plateau.
“Without the Communist Party, there would be no new Tibet”
——From several groups of development shots, the party’s strategy of governing Tibet in the new era will benefit the Tibetan people
■The People’s Liberation Army Daily reporter Tong Xinyu
This day is deeply imprinted in the heart of Dawa Jianshen, “I can never forget it again.”
On July 21, 2021, President Xi went to Tibet for investigation and research and walked into Dawa Jianshen’s home in Gala Village, Bayi District, Nyingchi City.
“That afternoon, General Secretary Xi came to our house and sat with us in the living room to chat with us in a particularly amiable manner. I told the General Secretary that by running and transporting, peach blossom festival dividends, land circulation, planting and breeding, the family income exceeded 30 last year. Ten thousand yuan. The general secretary was very happy to hear this.” Dawajian said.
At the end of July, the reporter met Dawajiansam in Gala Village. Standing in the tidy yard of his house, the spacious and bright Tibetan-style two-story small building, flowers and plants, peaches hanging on the branches, the warehouse is full of food, and the air reveals the peace of living and working.
“With the good policies of the party and the state, we can live a good life.” The good life in Gala Village is a microcosm of the economic and social development of Tibet since the peaceful liberation of Tibet for 70 years. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has summed up the successful experience of the Party leading the people in governing and rejuvenating Tibet and formed the Party’s strategy for governing Tibet in the new era. Today, the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet are working together with the people of the whole country towards the second centenary goal, striving to write a new chapter in the long-term stability and high-quality development of the snow-covered plateau.
Five-star red flag, the most vivid color
On the way to Tibet, the reporter heard the most stories about the five-star red flag.
Here is the first five-star red flag of Tibet-
In 1950, the Battle of Qamdo was victorious. Puba, a villager in Gangtuo Village, Jiangda County, Changdu, remembers that he was only 8 years old at that time. About two or three days after the Eighteenth Army crossed the river, he saw the five-star red flag for the first time when he went down the mountain. He said that he didn’t know the meaning of this flag at the time, but at first sight, “it felt very beautiful.” From the officers and soldiers of the Eighteenth Army, he learned about Chairman Mao and that the five-star red flag symbolized the unity of the people across the country under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
From then on, Puba hung a five-star red flag on his roof. In 1969, Puba joined the army and guarded the border. “I joined the army and the party because I wanted to be the same as the People’s Liberation Army and defend my home and country.”
Nowadays, Puba, who is already old, has inconvenience in his legs and feet, so he delegates the task of getting on the roof to change the national flag to his grandson, Pubu Tsering. Pubu Tsering said that his dream is to “become a special soldier.”
“Tibet work must insist on maintaining the unity of the motherland and strengthening national unity as the focus and focus.” From families to schools, from patriotism education bases to red tourist attractions, the Tibetan military and grounds give full play to the educational function of enriching red resources and make patriots patriotic. The spirit of doctrine is passed down in the snow-covered plateau.
Here was born a hand-embroidered five-star red flag——
Yumai Township, Longzi County, Shannan City, is located in the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Yumai is very large, with an area of 3644 square kilometers; Yumai is also very small. For a long time, the only residents on this land were Zhuoga and Yangzong sisters and their father Sanje Tuba.
Zhuo Ga still remembers that one day when he was a child, his father cut the yellow cloth into five stars and sewed it on the rectangular red cloth. After more than 30 years of grazing and guarding the border, the father and daughter took the five-star red flag wherever they went.
“To govern the country, we must govern the borders, and we must first stabilize Tibet.” Tibet, with a border of more than 4,000 kilometers, is an important barrier to national security. President Xi wrote in his reply to Zhuo Ga and Yang Zong sisters: “I hope you will continue to pass on the spirit of patriotism and guarding the border, and drive more herdsmen to take root in the borders of the snowy region like Gesanghua, and be the guardians of the sacred land. The builder of a happy home.”
In Shama Village, Chayu County, the village militia company and the officers and soldiers of the border defense company jointly patrolled the border. It has a history of sixty to seventy years. Ciwandoji, the militia company commander who grew up listening to the story of the People’s Liberation Army fighting in Shama Village, often patrols with the garrison officers and soldiers carrying the five-star red flag. He pointed to the Shama Martyrs Cemetery not far away and told reporters: “The martyrs gave their precious lives in order to protect our country and hometown. Now we should protect every inch of land.”
“Strengthen national unity and build a beautiful Tibet.” At the celebration ceremony for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region in 2015, the central delegation presented a congratulatory plaque inscribed by President Xi. The firm and powerful 12 words quickly spread throughout the snow-capped grasslands and urban farms.
“We must strengthen the construction of border infrastructure, encourage people of all ethnic groups to take root in the border, protect the country, and build their hometown.” Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee has identified a large number of key construction projects to support Tibet, and formulated plans to benefit the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet. A series of special preferential policies have implemented the construction of well-off villages in 628 first- and second-line administrative villages on the border, focusing on 10 aspects including water, electricity, roads, education, science, culture, and sanitation, improving 62,000 households and 242,000 border residents Production and living conditions. With love and gratitude for the party and the motherland, the masses of all ethnic groups in Tibet are striving to be “guardians of the sacred land and builders of happy homes.”
Wherever the reporter went, the five-star red flags flying from house to house were the brightest colors in the snow-covered plateau. The love for the motherland and the high recognition of national unity are the common aspirations of the Tibetan military and civilians.
The miracle road to happiness
“If you haven’t walked through the natural dangers of the 318 National Highway, you don’t know the difficulties and dangers of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway.” On the Yigong Zangbo River in Bomi County, Nyingchi City, three bridges span high mountains and cliffs.
In the 1950s, the officers and soldiers of the Eighteenth Army opened up this “throat” on the Sichuan-Tibet line with the determination and action of “letting the mountains lower their heads and making the rivers give way.”
Standing in a place once called the “Death Risk” and “Tongmai Cemetery”, the reporter saw a monument to “Ten Heroes on the Sichuan-Tibet Line” not far from the bridge. The inscription recorded a tragic history. In August 1967, 10 officers and soldiers of the car regiment suffered a huge landslide here and gave their young lives.
In April 2000, a rare giant landslide occurred in the area, and the original Tongmai cement bridge was washed away. The builders went through hardships and completed the suspension bridge in May and the car-safety bridge in December. At the end of 2015, the Tongmai Bridge was opened to traffic, and the time for cars to pass through this section of the road was shortened from more than 2 hours in the past to 20 minutes.
Over the past 70 years, the heavenly roads leading to the snow-covered plateau have been the road of dedication, the road of miracles, the road of hope, and the road of happiness.
Linzhi is like a pearl on the Sichuan-Tibet line. However, before the peaceful liberation of Tibet and the opening of the Sichuan-Tibet line to traffic, the lives of the local people were very difficult.
“Without the Communist Party, there would be no New Tibet.” The ancestor of a retired cadre in Bayi District, Nyingchi City, who has a party membership of 50 years, was born in a serf family. Before Tibet was peacefully liberated, 5 of his 8 siblings died due to illnesses that could not be treated. “When I was young, I only had a sheepskin jacket, which I wore as a dress during the day and as a quilt at night,” he told reporters.
Poverty has always been a barrier to happiness.
“As early as the early period of Tibet’s peaceful liberation, the officers and soldiers of the army entering Tibet did a lot of work to help the poor. After the feudal serfdom system was abolished, the party and the government were committed to liberating and developing productive forces, eradicating poverty, and achieving common prosperity.” Qizu said.
Tibet used to be a concentrated contiguous area with the highest incidence of poverty, the deepest level of poverty, the highest poverty alleviation cost, and the most difficult poverty alleviation area in the country. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a conference on deepening poverty alleviation in Tibet has been held for five consecutive years. Through precise measures and precise assistance, Tibet has won the battle against poverty. As of the end of 2019, the 628,000 registered poor people in Tibet had all been lifted out of poverty, and all 74 impoverished counties and districts had their caps off. At present, the annual per capita disposable income of the people who have been lifted out of poverty has exceeded 10,000 yuan.
This victory was not easy. Camouflage figures have always been active in a team in Tibet’s decisive battle against poverty. Like the predecessors who entered the Tibetan army, they are wholeheartedly looking forward to helping the people of all ethnic groups live a good life. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, all levels of the Tibet Military Region have helped 70 characteristic industries, helping 130 poor villages, 2,886 poor households, and 9,551 poor people out of poverty as scheduled.
In the showroom of the Navy Hope Primary School in Zhula Township, Gongbujiangda County, the reporter saw a small red schoolbag. Although the corners are a bit worn, the words “Navy Hope Primary School” on it are still clear. The owner of the schoolbag is called Laba. Twenty years ago, the first group of naval officers and soldiers who assisted each other came to the foot of the snow-capped mountains from the coast of the East China Sea and brought school bags, stationery boxes, and extracurricular reading materials to the students. Raba said that that day, many classmates, like him, had the first schoolbag in their lives.
After graduating from Lhasa Teachers College, Raba returned to his alma mater to teach. Today, he is the vice principal of the school. With the continued help of naval officers and soldiers, the dilapidated school building was turned into a modern three-story teaching building.
Wherever the reporter went, he felt the happiness and gratitude of the people of all ethnic groups. Just like the Fuxing train running on Tibet’s first electrified railway, the Lalin Railway, the lives of the Tibetan people are constantly advancing on the road of modernization.
Protecting the green waters and mountains of the snow-covered plateau
“As long as there are more calls from the’Lucky Bird’, the weather here will be smooth and the cows and sheep will grow fat.”
The sun rises in the early morning and wakes up the Black-necked Crane Nature Reserve in Linzhou County, Lhasa. Dawa, a retired soldier and member of the black-necked crane militia patrol unit, put on binoculars and walkie-talkies, and began routine patrols.
“As long as I can remember, the old people in the village have told me that black-necked cranes are the’lucky birds’ of the snow-covered plateau.” Dawa said, “With the continuous improvement of the ecological environment in recent years, more and more black-necked cranes are coming to winter. The scenery where people live in harmony with nature in the reserve has attracted many tourists.”
“We must insist on ecological protection first.” At the Seventh Central Tibet Work Forum, President Xi pointed out that protecting the ecology of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the greatest contribution to the survival and development of the Chinese nation. We must firmly establish the concept that green waters and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains, adhere to the attitude of being responsible for history, the people, and the world, put the construction of ecological civilization in a more prominent position, and protect the life and trees of the plateau, the thousands of waters and mountains, and the Qinghai-Tibet The plateau has been built into a highland of national and even international ecological civilization.
The party’s policies and propositions have taken root, pretending to be this magnificent mountain and river. During the “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan” period, Tibet has built 22 various ecological function protection zones, and 45% of the region has been included in the red line of ecological protection. Nowadays, in Tibet, farmers and herdsmen have a growing awareness of “no longer grabbing food with nature”. The gradual growth of green industries such as cultural tourism and clean energy has driven more people to eat “ecological food.”
From logging for a living to the “Peach Blossom Land” in Tibet, Gala Village’s poverty alleviation and prosperity benefited from the wild peach blossoms that bloom all over the mountains and plains every spring. “This is a gift from nature, and the villagers understand the importance of caring for the ecological environment.” said Yixi Quzhen, the village revitalization specialist. In order to mobilize the enthusiasm of the villagers, the village will turn recyclables into treasures. At the beginning of this year, the village ” “Green Bank” officially operates.
“100 points for 30 beer bottles…” On the exchange schedule posted on the wall, the points corresponding to all kinds of recyclables are clear at a glance. On the opposite shelf, daily necessities such as seasonings and kettles are neatly placed. Yixi Quzhen told reporters that the most exchanged by the villagers was seasonings such as oil, salt, sauce and vinegar.
Protecting Tibet’s ecological environment will benefit the future and the world. “Protecting the ecological environment like protecting the eyes” has become a conscious action of the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet. The reporter stopped at the “Green Bank” and couldn’t help but feel moved: The Tibetan compatriots who have lived here for generations are more and more cherishing the value of green water and green mountains. What they do to protect the ecology will inevitably be exchanged for a happy life. taste.