BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- When Xizang marks the 75th anniversary of its peaceful liberation, reviewing its profound changes helps people gain a sound understanding of the extraordinary transformation of this high-altitude autonomous region in southwest China.
The peaceful liberation on May 23, 1951, freed Xizang from imperialist aggression and political and economic control and created necessary conditions for Xizang to progress and develop along with the rest of China. Under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xizang carried out democratic reform in 1959 and abolished its feudal serfdom. In 1965, the founding of the Xizang Autonomous Region marked a historic shift from theocratic feudal serfdom to socialism characterized by people's democracy.
The region pursued reform and opened up alongside the rest of the country, significantly unleashing its productive potential and improving the lives and working conditions of local people.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Xizang has entered its best period of development and made the most substantial progress, with people of all ethnic groups benefiting more than ever before. It has eradicated absolute poverty and achieved moderate prosperity in all aspects.
Figures and facts show the significant strides in economic and social development in Xizang. The region's gross domestic product exceeded 300 billion yuan (44 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, from only 130 million yuan in 1951. Today, Xizang's annual grain output remains stable at over 1 million tonnes, and plateau-featured agriculture and animal husbandry, green industry, clean energy, and modern service industries are thriving. The region received over 70 million tourists last year.
Infrastructure has seen remarkable improvement. All administrative villages have had access to roads, fiber optics and 4G connections. Since the Qinghai-Xizang Railway became operational on July 1, 2006 -- ending the region's long history without rail service -- the total volume of goods transported into and out of Xizang by rail has exceeded 100 million tonnes, while the number of passenger trips has surpassed 41 million. Access to electricity has been significantly enhanced across the region.
Furthermore, Xizang has seen education, healthcare, and the social security system continuously improved. Notable progress has been made in ecological conservation. Ethnic solidarity has been steadily strengthened, and the sense of community for the Chinese nation has grown stronger among local people. Freedom of religious belief has been fully respected and protected, while cultural undertakings have flourished.
The region has seen all-round and historic progress in the human rights cause. People's rights to subsistence and development and all other basic rights have been guaranteed and progressively improved. However, before the peaceful liberation, it was one of the worst regions in the world for human rights violations. Serfs and slaves, who made up more than 95 percent of the population, owned nothing and did not have any human rights. It was impossible for people to develop and their right to survive was not secured.
Over the past decades, Xizang has secured historic feats across all sectors. Such accomplishments, utterly inconceivable and unattainable under the brutal and backward feudal serfdom of old Xizang, fully manifest the profound strengths of China's socialist system. It proves that only by adhering to the CPC leadership, the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and the CPC's guidelines for governing Xizang in the new era, can Xizang achieve lasting prosperity and progress and build a bright future.
Today, Xizang enjoys political stability, ethnic unity, economic development, social harmony and amity among different religions. Its environment is sound, and local people are content in their work and daily lives.
In advancing Chinese modernization and achieving common prosperity, no ethnic group will be left behind. With the aim of building a new modern socialist Xizang that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, the region will embrace a brighter future and people of all ethnic groups here will enjoy happier and more fulfilling lives. ■
