NPC, CPPCC Annual Sessions
2009
BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu
Jintao called for the building of a Great Wall of stability in Tibet here on
Monday, prior to the 50th anniversary of the foiling of an armed rebellion led
by the Dalai Lama's supporters.
Hu stressed the necessity to promote development and
stability in Tibet when joining a panel discussion with deputies of the National
People's Congress (NPC) from the Tibet Autonomous Region.
 |
|
Chinese President Hu Jintao (2nd R)
joins a panel discussion with deputies to the Second Session of the 11th
National People's Congress (NPC) from southwest China's Tibet Autonomous
Region, in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2009. (Xinhua
Photo)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
"We must reinforce the solid Great Wall for combating
separatism and safeguarding national unity, so that Tibet, now basically stable,
will enjoy lasting peace and stability," said Hu.
He urged Tibet authorities to implement the central
government's policies on Tibet, focus on development and stability issues,
attain an economic great-leap-forward, safeguard "national security" and "social
stability", and keep improving people's living standard, in order for them to
make new progress in the building of "a unified, democratic, prosperous and
harmonious socialistic new Tibet."
In pursuing economic development, Hu said, Tibet must
stick to the development road with Chinese characteristics and Tibetan features
so as to strengthen the material foundation for the building of socialistic new
Tibet.
The President urges Tibet to vigorously advance the
program of building "socialist new villages," develop industries with
distinguished features" and strengthen ecological and environmental protection.
Hu expressed the hope that Tibet should embark on
more projects that will directly result in the improvement of people's life and
working conditions, particularly those of farmers and herdsmen.
The government must also give priority to addressing
people's immediate needs, so that people of all ethnic groups in Tibet will be
able to share the fruit of development, he said.
READY TO HANDLE
INCIDENT
Hu's remarks came ahead of several sensitive dates in
Tibet.
Tibet will mark the 50th anniversary of the
abolishment of slavery and the theocratic regime of the Dalai Lama on March 28.
On March 10, 1959, in an attempt to preserve the old
serfdom, the nobles and slave owners staged an armed rebellion, which was foiled
by the central government of China.
The riot changed everything in Tibet. The Communists
soon decided that democratic reform should be carried out immediately to
demolish the entire old system led by the Dalai Lama.
The Preparatory Committee of Tibet Autonomous Region
replaced the Gaxag government and set out to lead the reform.
From 1959 to until 1966, 1 million slaves were
granted land, houses and their freedom.
The Dalai Lama, who fled to India, has maintained a
government-in-exile since 1959, and China has charged that this group was behind
the riot in Lhasa on March 14 last year and other Tibetan areas of China.
Earlier on Sunday, Legqog, chairman of the Standing
Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Region People's Congress, said the Dalai
clique has increased its secessionist and sabotage activities in Tibet this
year.
"They made attempts to make trouble through collusion
with those inside or even sending in their people," he said.
"Although Tibet is currently very stable, our troops
are ready to handle any infiltration and sabotage activities by the Dalai Lama
clique and other hostile forces," Kang Jinzhong, political commissar of armed
police corps in Tibet, told Xinhua Monday.
"All the armed police forces across Tibet are on
routine duty. The armed police force has the ability to handle any emergencies
an any time," he said.
Tibetan people are "very simple and kind" and their
heart stood with the Party, according to Kang, who has been working in Tibet for
more than three year.
"If there were really disturbance, it must be caused
by a few people instigated under the disguise of religious cause," he said,
adding up to now armed police in Tibet had not found any "abnormal situation."
Kang said some hostile forces or "a handful of
people" might be making preparations for making trouble, but their conspiracy
would not succeed.
Some overseas media have reported that conflict might
arise at any time in Tibet, but Kang said that was "purely talking nonsense."
"I am completely relaxed. To be frankly, if Tibet
were in a tense situation, I would not have come here for the parliamentary
session or talk to you," he told Xinhua, adding, "I'm confident so I'm here for
the session."
Kang said Tibet did not experience any instability
after the March 14 riot in Lhasa.
The riot, occurring in Lhasa during last year's
parliamentary session, caused 18 deaths and huge economic losses.
BORDER CONTROL
TIGHTENED
In the riot last year, innocent civilians suffered
the most.
Tibetan businessman Losang still keeps photos of the
damage to his souvenir store near Lhasa's Jokhang Temple. "They broke the glass
and took away some of my most valuable items."
Losang feels easier seeing police and soldiers of the
People's Liberation Army patrolling Lhasa's streets. "Tightened security is a
good thing for business people and all residents."
"Who cares what other people think of the tightened
security in Lhasa?" said a Tibetan woman who was taking her preschool daughter
for a walk in a park near the Potala Palace.
"It's always easy to point a finger at others, but we
are the ones who actually went through the tragic experience last year," she
said. "If not for the police and PLA, I wouldn't have dared to take my daughter
out to the streets now."
Expecting possible sabotage activities by the Dalai
Lama clique, a senior police officer said here Monday that border control has
been tightened in Tibet.
"We have made due deployment and tightened controls
at border ports, and key areas and passages along the border in Tibet," Fu
Hongyu, Political Commissar of the Ministry of Public Security Border Control
Department.
"We will firmly crackdown on criminal activities in
Tibet's border area that pose a threat to China's sovereignty and government,"
said Fu, a deputy to the NPC session.
"We will go all out to maintain the security and
stability of border and coastal areas," said Fu.
Tibet, a plateau region in China, has a lengthy
border with Myanmar, India, Bhutan and Nepal.
China's top legislator underscores
parliament role in national development
BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The parliament is
to center its work on ensuring sound progress in China's reform, development and
stability, top legislator Wu Bangguo said here Monday.
"We should improve our working style" and efforts
should be made to step up inspection on law enforcement and supervision on work,
he said in a panel discussion with lawmakers from northwest China's Shaanxi
Province. Full story
Premier Wen calls for support to private companies amid
global downturn
BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao Monday called for greater support to private companies amid the global
financial crisis.
The government should give greater support to not
only state-owned enterprises but private companies "as long as they can boost
economic development and create jobs", said Wen when joining lawmakers from the
eastern Zhejiang Province in a panel discussion during the annual parliament
session. Full story
Senior Chinese leaders stress
improvement of people's well-being
BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese leaders Li
Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang have called for more efforts on improving
people's well-being amid China's drive to stimulate economy.
"Our initiatives to expand domestic demand, promote
economic growth, readjust economic structure, and push forward reform all aim to
improve people's well-being," Vice Premier Li Keqiang said Monday. Full story
