Commentary: Xizang's remarkable development debunks groundless Western accusations

LHASA, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- A series of recently released data regarding southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region highlights the all-round progress of the plateau region, once again debunking some Western smears and lies.

The region's gross domestic product expanded 9.5 percent year on year to nearly 240 billion yuan (about 33.8 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, according to the regional statistics bureau.

The growth rates of the region's major economic indicators, including per capita disposable income, fixed asset investment, and total retail sales of consumer goods, all ranked first in the country.

However, certain Western organizations and individuals have ignored these developments, choosing to weaponize so-called "human rights issues" as a means to manipulate global politics.

The most recent evidence of this practice surfaced when the Human Rights Watch baselessly accused Xizang of "immersing" Tibetan children in Mandarin without allowing the use and learning of Tibetan language in schools. The group also alleged the "forced imposition of 'ethnic mingling' measures in Tibetan education, such as concentrated schooling and 'mixed classes.'"

Such accusations disregard the truth and smear China based on ideological bias, unfounded rumors and falsehoods.

The reality is that Xizang has a sparse population and some children in pastoral areas reside far away from schools, rendering daily commutes practically unfeasible for them. Boarding schools not only guarantee the quality of education but also provide children with nutritious meals and a comfortable living environment on campus.

At school, students are provided with quality Tibetan-Mandarin bilingual teaching and education in traditional Tibetan culture. Many extracurricular classes are crafted around Tibetan culture, including local musical instruments and dance, and Tibetan calligraphy.

Xizang is the first provincial-level region in China to provide 15 years of publicly funded education, from kindergarten to senior high school. The completion rate for compulsory education has reached 97.73 percent. This stands in stark contrast to the situation 70 years ago when access to education was limited to the nobility.

The constant improvement of people's livelihoods in Xizang over the past decades speaks volumes, proving that the current developmental trajectory is most fitting for the region. The region's robust progress unequivocally rebuts the naysayers and their lies.