BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Despite Western-led smears and falsehoods, China's Xizang Autonomous Region has achieved unprecedented human rights progress in various fields, such as political stability, ethnic unity, economic development, social harmony, and amity among different religions.
A white paper, "Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era," published on Friday, highlighted the great development and progress of human rights in Xizang since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in November 2012.
The hard facts listed in the paper have once again debunked the baseless Western narratives of "oppression."
In terms of the political rights of local people, there are 42,153 deputies to people's congresses at four levels in Xizang, 89.2 percent of whom are from the Tibetan or other ethnic minority groups.
As for the economic and social rights, multiple sets of data showcased significant accomplishments:
By the end of 2019, all 628,000 registered impoverished people in the region had been lifted out of poverty. In 2024, the per capita net income of those lifted out of poverty in Xizang increased by over 12.5 percent.
The average life expectancy in the region rose from 68.17 years in 2010 to 72.19 years in 2020. The medical and health service network has now achieved full coverage across the region.
The region's road length had nearly doubled in 12 years and every town or township is covered by the 5G wireless network, with 2.14 million 5G mobile phone users.
Moreover, the cultural rights of all the ethnic groups in Xizang remain protected. For example, the Tibetan language is widely used in publishing, media, and daily life. By the end of 2024, Xizang had 17 periodicals and 11 newspapers in the Tibetan language and had published 46.85 million copies of 8,794 Tibetan-language books.
The list could go on for pages, showcasing the undeniable achievements Xizang has made over the years, and presenting the world the real Xizang.
Smears against the region are doomed to collapse under the weight of facts. The world should listen not to biased narratives but to the voices of people in Xizang who have witnessed and benefited from these historic changes.
"Life today is truly idyllic!" said Sonam Tashi, a 92-year-old residing in Chubzang Village of Doilungdeqen District, Lhasa, who bears witness to the 1959 democratic reform and the transformative liberation of millions of serfs in Xizang.
"We now enjoy abundant food and clothing, and we are freed from the backbreaking toil that once shackled us like beasts of burden. Such blessings were unimaginable in the old days," he said.
"In old Xizang, I lived with livestock in a downstairs room of the serf owner's house. The space was cramped and low and I couldn't even stand straight in it, said Yudron, a former serf who was born in 1938 and now lives in a village of Nyarixung Township of Xigaze.
"The firm and spacious house I live in now was way beyond my dream. Our entire family feel extremely happy here now," Yudron said with a smile.
The heartfelt words and beaming smiles stand as the most compelling testament to Xizang's remarkable human rights progress.
编辑：韩睿
