In 2024, the growth rate of Xizang's main economic indicators continued to remain at the forefront nationwide, achieving remarkable results on the journey towards high-quality development. During this year's two sessions, "high-quality development" has also become a frequent buzzword among deputies and members from Xizang.

Wang Qiang, a deputy to the National People's Congress and mayor of Lhasa, presented a set of "impressive" data to reporters, outlining the new strides made by Lhasa, the capital city of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, in high-quality development over the past year.

In 2024, Lhasa achieved a regional GDP of 99.004 billion yuan, with a year-on-year increase of 6.7 percent, ranking first in the region in terms of increment, growth rate, and total amount. A total of 213 investment attraction projects were implemented, with actual funds in place amounting to 28.494 billion yuan. Private investment increased by 73 percent year-on-year, and the city's fixed asset investment grew by 21.4% year-on-year.

In 2025, Lhasa aims to achieve a growth rate of over 7.2 percent in regional GDP, making an all-out effort to reach the milestone of "100 billion yuan of GDP". The added value of industrial enterprises above a designated size is expected to increase by more than 18 percent, and the total import and export trade volume by more than 20 percent.

"We will comprehensively strengthen infrastructure construction to lay a solid foundation for high-quality development," Wang Qiang told reporters. Last year, Lhasa considered, planned, and promoted infrastructure construction as a crucial support for economic and social development, optimizing the development environment and achieving self-improvement. The city's appearance has taken on a new look amid overcoming difficulties. According to statistics, in 2024, Lhasa completed the upgrading of underground pipelines and road surfaces for 12 urban roads, and completed sporadic repair of 59,000 square meters of urban pavement. The harmless treatment rate of municipal solid waste reached 100 percent. In the past three years, a total investment of 4.507 billion yuan has been invested in greening project of the north and south mountains in Lhasa, greening an area of 693,900 mu (about 46,283 hectares).

During this year's two sessions, Nyima Qiongla, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference andvice director of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Xigaze City, expressed his concern and expectation for promoting high-quality economic and social development through high-level opening up in Xizang.

In 2024, Lhasa Gongkar Airport was upgraded to an international airport, and the land border port-type national logistics hub in Xigaze (Jilong) was approved. The inspection site for export goods at the port was completed and put into operation, and the rebuilding of Zham Town was fully launched. 14 traditional border trade points were reopened, and the local products are progressively making their way into international markets. Data shows that in 2024, Xizang's foreign trade achieved remarkable results, with the total import and export value climbing to 12.672 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 15.4%. It surpassed the "10 billion" threshold for two consecutive years and achieved the foreign trade growth target outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan ahead of schedule.

"As China's strategic gateway to South Asian countries, Xigaze City is continuously enhancing its openness in terms of level, scale, quality, and efficiency, driving high-level opening-up through high-quality development." Said Nyima Qiongla. In 2024, products such as Yaqu Cement, Darewa Highland Barley Beer, and Wangda Highland Barley Flour have successively gone abroad, while handicrafts, textiles, food, forage, and other commodities from Nepal have been imported through the port. The border tourism industry is thriving.

"Over the past year, Xizang has demonstrated numerous highlights in its high-quality development, with premium power services continuously fueling the region's economic advancement towards superior quality growth." Said Tashi Nyima, a deputy to the National People's Congress and a Level 4 employee at the State Grid Lhasa Power Supply Company.

According to statistics, Xizang's total electricity consumption reached a record high of 15.417 billion kilowatt-hours in 2024, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.93%, and ranking first in the country in terms of growth rate. It is worth mentioning that as of the end of 2024, the proportion of clean energy generation in Xizang exceeded 99%, basically achieving a fully clean electricity supply, making it the provincial-level power grid with the highest proportion in China.

Tashi Nyima said that in the future, Xizang's microgrid will continue to play a significant role in serving local economic and social development, ensuring electricity supply for people's livelihood in remote areas, and promoting the development and utilization of clean energy, by moving towards a more intelligent, large-scale, and integrated direction. The vast grassroots population will also benefit more from the achievements of high-quality development.

Reproter: Zhang Shanghua, Tenzin Phuntsog,Tseten Yangkyi

Translator: Peng Qing, Luo Rongting, Zhi Xinghua

Review: Hu Rongguo, Dong Xiuli