American media hypes up increased Han presence in Tibet

The influx of China's massive amounts of money and Han Chinese migrants into Tibet has created a great disturbance, a reporter from the U.S.-based New York Times reported on July 25 after participating in a foreign reporter delegation to Tibet organized by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to a report by Global Times on July 26.

Although the newspaper did not demonize Chinese like Western media agencies used to do, it still applied a sharp-tongued critique of the support provided by the Chinese government to Tibet's development.

According to the report, Han Chinese, such as workers, investors and merchants, are pouring into remote Tibet in an attempt to make Tibet wealthier — and more Chinese. The Chinese government invested 3 billion U.S. dollars in the Tibet Autonomous Region in 2009 and rural Tibetans, nearly 40 percent of the region's population, have moved into new residences under a welfare housing program. The influx of money and migrants has brought new prosperity. It has also deepened the resentment among many Tibetans.

Reporters from Global Times learned that the ministry organized foreign reporters in China to visit western China in 2010 to mark the 10th anniversary of the country's western development program. Tibet was the first site of the activity.

Nevertheless, the prejudice held by foreign media toward Tibet-related policies needs to be changed through more understanding.

Lian Xiangmin, a research fellow at the China Tibetology Research Center, said that plenty of similar misunderstandings, in essence, lie in the fact that Westerners have yet to view Tibetans as Chinese. With such a premise, they will have a biased view of China's policies.

The investments by the central government in Tibet and the exchanges and flow of human resources under the rule of market economics all aim to help Tibetans lead prosperous lives instead of seeking to "win the support of Tibetans" and achieve the "assimilation of Tibet" through Han Chinese migration. Whatever views foreigners hold, it is critical to implement the policies well and make Tibetans satisfied.

He also mentioned that the reason behind such deep-rooted views held by Westerners lie in years of overseas publicity by the Dalai Clique. The activity of opening up Tibet to foreign media will benefit their understanding of a real Tibet.

By People's Daily Online