Tibet is working hard to implement the State policy regarding the development of west China. It has worked out its 10th Five-Year Plan for economic development. Efforts will be made to effect over 12 percent annual increases in the region's total output value. The following fields have been prioritized in order to realize these goals.

Great Efforts Towards Developing the Economy in Areas Specialized in Practicing Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. In the agricultural areas of central Tibet, grain production is being stressed, while at the same time forestry and cultivation of fruit and vegetables are also developed. In areas with both agriculture and animal husbandry, animal husbandry is being expanded as appropriate. The integration of agriculture and animal husbandry will be pursued with the goal of producing more than enough grain, meat and milk for self-sufficiency. In animal husbandry areas production and processing of animal by-products is being given priority. In forested and border areas, attention is being focused on intensive-processing and comprehensive utilization of forestry products; more flexible measures are being taken to invigorate border trade and diversified operations. Irrigation-based cultivation is being strengthened, as is basic construction in the pasturelands. The acreage of land with reliable irrigation will be expanded. Medium- and low-yield fields will be transformed and soil improved. Science will continue to be used to better agriculture with the broader dissemination of technology and high-quality seed varieties. At the same time, assistance will be given to a number of large-scale, top-grade, productive township enterprises.

Active Development of Industry. Industry is being restructured. Work is being directed towards developing the exploitation of the three great resources6minerals, forestry and livestock, increasing value-added processing to make them mainstay industries. The technological transformation of industrial enterprises is being accelerated to increase their share in total output value.

Developing Energy Production, Transportation and Telecommunications and Other Infrastructure. Construction already begun on large and medium-sized power stations and small rural hydropower stations is i full swing. Every effort will be made to build several additional key power stations. Rural highway construction is being focused on so as to form a thoroughgoing transportation network as soon as possible. Railways and civil aviation are being developed. In the field of telecommunications, a long-distance transmission network with trans mission based on satellite and optical cable and a mostly program-controlled telephone network are being set up. Everything will be done to establish a quick, convenient, efficient telecommunications network in Tibet by the year 2000, to program-control county-to-county telephone communications and enter 80 percent of the counties in the national automatic telephone trunk network.