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TIBET Development At Doorstep
With the modernization of Tibet Autonomous Region of China through implementation of various development activities, Nepal , a landlocked country, has a reason to rejoice as progress brought about by the development in north will have spillover effects in Nepal . With economic growth rate of over 13 percent, Tibet ’s ongoing development process- which is going alongside the preservation of its traditional culture and religion – is also knocking the door of opportunities for Nepal . From road networks to rail networks and other development boom in Tibet , there are opportunities everywhere. At a time when Tibet is making all out progress, how Nepal, which shares more than 1400 kilometers border with Tibet, can take advantages remains to be seen
By KESHAB POUDEL, in Lhasa , Tibet Autonomous Region of China
” For twenty days I shall stay in Lhasa , and twenty days on the road. After forty days, it will bring prosperity in small family of impoverished home” – this is how Madan, who is the main character of popular verse Muna Madan by great poet late Laxmi Prasad Devkota, dreams. For centuries, not only the character of that verse, many other people of Kathmandu valley had similar dream - of going to Tibet to bring back prosperity.
But in recent decades there was a lull of sorts . The recent wave of development in Tibet is now again opening the opportunities across the Himalayas and Tibet ’s high economic growth and development boom is again knocking the door for Nepal .
Isolated by mountains and high Himalayas , the journey to Tibet was very difficult as it took months to go to Lhasa in old days. Many people died on their way to Lhasa , unable to cope with the high-altitude sickness and dehydration as Madan faces in the verse.
Thanks to the extension of road networks and other transport facilities including the opening up of railways, the situation, however, has changed as expansion of road network in Tibet has cut short the journey. Now one can reach Lhasa in just one and a half day by bus through Kodari highway and just within an hour by flight.
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Potala Palace: Cultural Symbol |
For those who visited Tibet a decade ago, the physical change in the roof of the world can be unimaginable. Even the visitors like this scribe, who was in Tibet three years ago, the change and progress seems like a miracle. One can visibly see the mechanization of agriculture system and growth of well-planned villages in interiors of Tibet .
Following the completion of two bridges and a tunnel project, the distance from Gonkha International Airport to Lhasa has already reduced from 140 kilometers to 50 kilometers. Not only the improvement of modern infrastructures like road, railway, airports and others but the renovation of religious and historical sites like Potala Palace, Norbulinkgha, Jokhang Temple, Traduk Monastery of Shannan Prefectures and others have helped to preserve Tibet’s identity alongside its development.
Unlike in the past, all weather road networks have shortened the time to reach Lhasa . The high economic growth and new development activities in Tibet is definite to benefit Nepal in days to come.
Successful Development
In high mountains, plateau and barren land, development can be seen everywhere. Tibet has conducted a successful experiment how a difficult terrain and plateau can be made economically viable. Till two decades ago, barley, potato, wheat and mustards were the traditional crops of Tibet and most of the farmers grew one crop a year.
Now the farmers in Tibet can grow everything in their land. From water melon to green vegetables, cabbage, ginger, garlic, apple and cucumber, farmers grow all kinds of vegetables all the time using modern methods. Introduction of green house methods has made it possible for them to grow all kinds of vegetables. The high quality seeds, technical support and improvement in irrigation have doubled overall agriculture production.
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A road in interior of Tibet: Expansion of infrastructure |
“We can produce surplus food now and we send water melon, cabbage and other vegetables even out of Tibet Autonomous Region,” said Fupuchoma, 56, a resident of Ging village of Lhasa .” Our income has gone up from 800 to more than 3000 Yuan annually.”
The overall income of farmers living in Shannan and Lhasa are going up as their productions have also increased. Tibet now exports ginger and high quality apple to Nepal and other parts of China .
According to the Nepalese Consulate General office, Nepal alone imported Rs. 2 million worth of ginger from Tibet in the fiscal year 2004/05. Tibet exported 17 million rupees worth of ginger in the year 2003/04. Similarly, Nepal imported Rs.121 million worth of apple from Tibet in year 2004/05. China has shown that development is possible in all kinds of places including in the high plateau like Tibet .
Quest for Development
According to the investment guide to Tibet Autonomous Region, TAR shares border with Burma , Bhutan , India , Nepal and Kashmir region. With the territory of 1.2 million square kilometer, Tibet has long been known as the roof of the world because it has largest and highest plateau with an average altitude of 4000 meters above the sea level in the world.
Whether it is Lhasa or other prefectures, the high economic growth is bringing in tremendous change in Tibet . Shannan prefecture, 150 kilometer South-east of Lhasa , has shown how building infrastructures can reduce poverty in interior parts of Tibet . “Shannan economic growth rate is over 17 percent. With the literacy rate of over 95 percent, Shannan has drastically reduced the number of population living below the poverty line,” said Sangpu, deputy chief of Shannan prefecture. “We have just a few families living below poverty line out of 330,000 populations. By the end of next five years plan, the poverty in the prefecture will be completely wiped out.”
Since long time Nepalese experts have had pessimist views towards the development in the northern hills of Nepal and failed to introduce programs to drastically change the life of people there. But, Chinese experts have proved that the progress is possible in high Tibetan plateau. Their success can be replicated in Nepalese hilly and mountainous districts as well.
Implications of Qinghai-Tibet Railways
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway has changed the overall position of Tibet as it is linked with the rail network of China supporting in the reduction of overall cost for carrying goods to Tibet as well as bringing in a large number of tourists in the region. Previously, the airfare was so costly that only a small number of people could afford to visit Tibet and driving through the road was often difficult.
The rail service increased the number of visiting tourists in Tibet . According to the officials in Tibet , the rail carried 274,000 passengers in the month of July. Out of total passengers, 74,000 were foreigners.
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Fruits and vegetables: Boosting agro-economy |
“The railways have already reduced the cost of goods carrying in and out from Tibet to other parts of China . The Quinghai-Tibet railway will provide Nepal historic opportunities to improve trade between China and Nepal as rail has already reduced the travel time and lowered the cost,” said Chouzho Lifu, deputy director of TAR. “ Nepal has enormous opportunities to increase the trade with Tibet .”
Unlike other parts of South Asia , the Tibet Autonomous region is moving towards the path of development with absolute tranquility and harmony. From interior rural areas to urban centers, the pace of development is very fast. Along with education institutions, road networks and health facilities, the power is gradually reaching to the rural areas. In remote parts of Tibet , the TAR is promoting the solar energy as an alternative with heavy subsidies.
Tibet is now a model for development of hills and mountainous terrains and Nepal can learn many things from development and progress made by its northern neighbor.
Preservation of Cultural And Religious Sites
Along with modernity, Tibet also maintains its traditional life styles. The street of Lhasa are full of combination of modern brands of Tibetan to traditional forms devoted to Mahayana Buddhism.
Large number of devotees reach Lhasa from far flung rural areas of Tibet to perform traditional rituals and to devote their life and time to Gods. Temples are full of devotees and monks carrying incense sticks in their hands.
The restoration of cultural religious sites in Tibet has turned the city into a home of Mahayana Buddhism. Every one condemns what was destroyed in the past and the government is putting a lot of money to protect remaining temples, palaces and other historical sites to preserve glorious culture and life of Tibet .
Despite these achievements, there is a political factor, which poses as an upheaval task for Chinese, to bring about fully open and pluralistic society all over China including in Tibet .
Dream Land
In the early days, Tibet used to be a dream place for the settlers of Kathmandu valley as everyone wished to go to Tibet as they felt that and prosperity lies across the Himalayas. The pace of recent progress will now benefit the settlers of northern sides of Nepal .
The curse of landlocked situation can be converted into the boon to Nepal if it responds properly to the opportunity in the doorstep.
Nepal always felt handicapped by its landlocked situation. All the time its life line was limited to transit facility from Indian Territory .
Despite difference in political systems, China has offered to facilitate Nepal to have access to the sea through its new access of road networks and railway networks. Vice chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region said Nepal should take advantage of this but he did not explain it in so many words. But by implications Nepal could use 44000 kilometer of roads to be in contact with central Asian countries and far eastern countries.
Along with highways, in Tibet there are more 615 main roads, 315 branch roads with total mileage of about 260 thousand kilometers. TAR has already constructed more than 500 power stations with the total installed capacity of 500,000 kilowatts and over 400,000 kilowatts is generated by hydropower. Theoretically, the Yanglutanau River can produce over 80 million kW of hydropower.
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Tibetan people: New found prosperity |
“ China wants to see prosperous and stable Nepal . If Nepal wants, it can take advantage of road networks of Tibet ,” said Luosang Jiangcun, Vice chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region of China. “ Nepal has recently reassured us that anti-China activities should not be allowed in Nepalese soil. The new government reassured us that Nepal would not allow reopening Dalai Lama’s office in Nepal .”
From railway to road network, the accessibility to Tibet has drastically increased. Along with Nepalese border town Kodari, it has recently opened trade route through Nathula Pass with India . The road network of Tibet is so long that the Tibet has accessibility to Karachi and Yangoon also.
Nepal ’s trade with Tibetan Autonomous region continues to increase as the country still exports traditional products to Tibet like textiles, handicrafts, and the utensils for religious purposes. Nepal imports readymade garments, shoes, raw wool, textiles, electronic goods, transport equipments, TV and its parts as well as raw silk and other machinery parts.
According to Nepalese Consulate General Office in Lhasa , in the year 2004/05, Nepal imported goods of more than Rs 4.64 billion and exported goods worth Rs 1.83 billion to Tibet .
“There is immense possibility to expand trade with Tibet Autonomous Region but what is required is to identify the demands of Nepalese products in Tibet ,” said consulate general Lilamani Paudyal. “We need to identify the exportable items to Tibet and market but Nepalese business communities are now doing business without identifying the market for Nepalese products. High economic growth has increases the purchasing power of people in Tibet so Nepal has high potential to increase its export. Nepal needs to do study which Nepalese products have comparative advantage in Tibet .”
In the last five years, Nepal ’s trade with Tibet has increased by more than double as Nepal exported just over 525 million rupees of goods in 2000/01 compared to 1.83 billion rupees now. Tibet ’s export to Nepal , however, has declined. In 2000/01, TAR exported to Nepal about 5.29 billion rupees of goods but the figure is 4.64 billion rupees now.
“Tibet-Nepal trade has increased over the years as people living in both the sides are benefiting from growing trade,” said Schounzho Lifu, deputy director of Trade Department of TAR. “In the last six months, the border trade between the two countries has increased by 24 percent. There are opportunities lying in Tibet and it is up to Nepalese government and business communities to take the advantage. We urge Nepalese business communities to take advantage.”
Although more than 85 Nepalese have already signed agreement to invest in different joint venture sectors in Tibet with total commitment of US$ 10.37 million but only 8.2 million dollar has been invested in Tibet till now. According to Chouzho Lifu, Nepalese are investing in hotels, restaurants, beauty parlors and such other sectors.
“It is still an unbelievable fairytale to policymakers in Nepal that China meant what it has been proposing. But, Nepal is in a buffer like situation between India and China . If the economic interest gets priority, it will be a boon to the whole region. If it is considered solely by security interest then calamities are there waiting for all of us,” said a political analyst.
From railway to road networks and high economic growth, the opportunities are growing in Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. How Nepal will take advantage of these development opportunities across the Himalayas remains to be seen.
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