On March 28, the State Council Information Office released a white paper titled Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era showcasing with detailed data and vivid cases the continuous progress in the protection of the rights to subsistence, development, and other fundamental rights for people in Xizang. It comprehensively demonstrates the historic leap in Xizang's human rights development.

In Xizang, Fuxing bullet trains traverse the snow-capped plateau; all administrative villages have achieved 100% road access; every village now enjoys optical fiber and 4G network coverage; boarding school services have effectively addressed education access for students in remote farming and pastoral areas; herders are selling yak meat and highland barley wine nationwide via e-commerce platforms... These developmental achievements are reflected not only in the macro-level GDP growth, but more importantly in the daily lives of every household.

Xizang has achieved remarkable progress in healthcare, education, and employment security. Average life expectancy rose from 68.17 years in 2010 to 72.19 years in 2020. Key education indicators have met or exceeded national averages, while the urban surveyed unemployment rate remains below the national level. As Western politicians hype their so-called "deterioration of human rights in Xizang," the people of Xizang are defining human rights through their thriving lives - for the people's happiness is indeed the most fundamental human right.

Xizang attaches great importance to the protection, inheritance and development of the excellent traditional cultures of all ethnic groups. The region has continuously improved public cultural services, promoted the use of the national common language and script, while safeguarding the right to learn and use the Tibetan language and script. These efforts have achieved unprecedented prosperity and development in cultural construction, effectively guaranteeing the cultural rights of all ethnic groups. The white paper's fact-based descriptions, one after another, powerfully refute the absurd allegations made by some Western countries regarding the current state of cultural development in Xizang.

The protection of rights for specific groups in Xizang particularly demonstrates the warmth and precision of the region's human rights progress. The Chinese government has placed high importance on safeguarding the rights of women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities in Xizang, continuously improving mechanisms to ensure support for those in need and assistance for those facing difficulties. While the West engages in empty talk about "universal values," Xizang is building institutional safeguards for these vulnerable groups through concrete actions, interpreting the true essence of human rights through warm, people-centered practices.

Xizang's ecological achievements represent another highlight in its human rights progress. According to the white paper, the region has established 47 nature reserves covering 412,200 square kilometers in total. Since 2016, Xizang has maintained excellent air quality for over 99% of days annually. The pristine blue skies, white clouds, snow-capped mountains and sacred lakes stand as the most powerful testimony refuting Western allegations about environmental destruction in Xizang.

As the white paper concludes, "In today's Xizang, the happy smiles of people from all ethnic groups resemble the blooming gesang flowers on the plateau, fully demonstrating their sense of fulfillment, happiness and security from enjoying extensive human rights." The genuine human rights are vividly reflected in the radiant smiles of Xizang's multi-ethnic population.

Translator: Liu Fang, Zhi Xinghua

Review: Hu Rongguo, Dong Xiuli