Xizang sees strong, sustained economic growth over 6 decades: official

China

Xizang sees strong, sustained economic growth over 6 decades: official

2025-08-05 11:41 Last Updated At：19:17

Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region has achieved sustained economic growth over the 60 years since its founding, with its 2024 GDP reaching 155 times the 1965 figure, an official of the region said in Beijing on Tuesday.

Wang Junzheng, secretary of the Communist Party of China Xizang Autonomous Regional Committee, briefed the press on the economic and social development achievements of the region over the past 60 years.

The year 2025 marks the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region.

"Xizang has achieved sustained economic growth. In 2024, the regional GDP reached 276.5 billion yuan (around 38.5 billion U.S. dollars), marking a 155-fold increase from 1965 at constant prices, with an average annual growth rate of 8.9 percent. The regional fiscal revenue grew to 27.7 billion yuan (around 3.9 billion U.S. dollars) -- 1,258 times the 1965 figure -- achieving an annual growth rate of 12.9 percent. Over the six decades of development, Xizang took 50 years to reach its first 100 billion yuan in GDP, but only six years to achieve the second 100 billion," Wang said.

"Since 2021, through our persistent efforts, the scale of Xizang's economic development has continued to expand, with a noticeable improvement in the quality and efficiency of development. Modern industries such as clean energy, culture and tourism, and plateau light industry, have flourished, and the modern industrial system has taken shape. The region's self-sustaining and self-development capabilities have been continuously improving, with the growth rates of key economic indicators ranking among the highest in China for consecutive years," he said.

UNGA President warns global multilateral system "under attack"

The multilateral system is "under attack" amid global turmoil, President of the 80th UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock warned in her remarks on Wednesday.

In her briefing on the priorities for the resumed 80th Session of the General Assembly, the UNGA president noted that the current multilateral system does not collapse all in a sudden, but "crumbles piece by piece" in divisions, compromises, and lack of political commitment.

The president called all the UN member states to defend the UN Charter and international law and promote cross-regional cooperation.

She also urged to push forward the work of the UNGA on certain critical issues with a strong majority, rather than an absolute consensus among all member states. Such act is not a failure of multilateralism, but "an affirmation of it," she said.

The foundational principles of the institution should not be eroded by appeasement, she said, calling the member states to show courage, leadership, and responsibility at the UN's "critical make-or-break moment."

"The UN needs you. Your support, your leadership, your principle, stand, your cross-regional cooperation, if we are to preserve and modernize this institution, if we are to make it, rather than break it," she said.