Tibet's economy posted a 17-percent growth in the first three
months of this year, the highest growth in the last ten years, the
region's chief statistician said on Wednesday.
"Tibet's gross domestic product (GDP) grew to 6.4 billion yuan
(US$820 million) in the first quarter of 2007, up from a growth
rate of 11.3 percent for the same period in 2006," said Jinme Doje,
director of the regional statistics bureau.
Jinme attributed the fast economic growth to the rapid increase
in the region's fixed-asset investment, consumption volume,
government expenditure, and the Qinghai-Tibet railway which began
operation last July.
The region reported a fixed-assets investment of 698 million
yuan (US$90 million) and a consumption volume of 2.6 billion yuan
(US$333 million) in the first quarter of 2007, up 38.7 percent and
19.2 percent respectively.
"We expect a sustained fast growth rate in the second quarter of
this year, but the region's growth rate in the latter half of the
year may not be as huge due to the rapid growth rate in the latter
six months of 2006," Jinme said.
Tibet has reported five consecutive years of GDP growth of more
than 12 percent but remains one of China's most underdeveloped
regions due to its harsh natural conditions and its heavy reliance
on investment, said Qiangba Puncog, chairman of Tibet in March this
year.
(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2007)