News in brief

Purugangri Glacier Survey

One year ago, Chinese and American scientists discovered a giant glacier which was later named Purugangri in central Tibet. Located in Nagqu and with an elevation of 6,000-6,800 meters, the glacier is believed to be the largest of its kind in the world except for the South and North Poles. On the morning of September 2, a group of 34 scientists of the Chinese Academy of Scientists left Lanzhou for the discovered glacier for a 100-day survey. They were joined by a joint team composed of over 20 scientists from China, the United States, Russia and Sweden, who reached the Base Camp late that month. The Chinese and foreign scientists are to survey glaciers, geology, climate, desert, lake, animals and plants there. For this purpose, they are to drive into an area which is 300 meters from the surface, and fly a hot balloon at a spot which is 6,000 meters above sea level.

Tibetan Treatises Published Abroad

Researchers with the Tibet Academy of Social Sciences have since the early 1980s published more than 1,500 treatises in a dozen journals in China. They include Nytri Tsampo Is a Tibetan Native contributed by Chabai Cedain Puncog. Many of these have been translated into English, French and Japanese for publication in foreign countries.

Sagya Monastery Ready to Be Repaired

Preparations have been made to repair the Sagya Monastery with a history of 900 years. This will be another repair project after the repair of the Potala Palace and the Samye Monastery, and effort to rescue cultural relics in Ngari. The Sagya Monastery has a collection of thousands of rare tangka paintings, some 5,000 alloy, ivory and silver and gold statues of Buddha, many frescoes and pattra-leaf sutras. It is held as another Dunghuang which is famous for grottoes.

Tibetan Cooperation With Peoples University

The peoples government of the Tibet Autonomous Region recently signed a cooperative agreement with the Peoples University of China in Beijing. Under the agreement, the Beijing university will provide graduate study for 30 Tibetans each year. The two sides are to cooperate in other fields.

Beijing Donates to Tibet

Beijing has donated 10.9 million Yuan to Lhasa according to an agreement signed recently. For the reconstruction of the Lhasa TV and Radio Broadcasting Station and production of vegetables, Beijing provided Tibet with loan with a discount rate to the tune of 16.5 million Yuan.

Tibet Becomes a Tourist Hot Spot

Incomplete statistics show more than 185,000 people, from other parts of China and foreign countries, visited Tibet in the first half of the year, an increase of 57 percent over the same period of the previous year. They include 35,000 hailing from foreign countries, an increase of 40 percent. Tourist routes available to visitors include: Chengdu-Qamdo-Nyingchi-Lhasa; Yunnans Xiaguan-Mangkang-Qamdo; Qinghais Xining-Golmud-Nagqu-Lhasa; Lhasa-Xigaze-Zam-China-Nepal Highway; Urumqi-Yecheng-Shiquanhe; Lhasa-Nyingchi-Shannan-Lhasa; Lhasa-Xigaze-Ngari-Nagqu-Lhasa; Lhasa-Nagqu-Qamdo-Nyingchi-Lhasa.

Tibet Exports More in July In July

Tibets import and export value reached US$13.92 million, an increase of 58.16 percent over the same period of the previous year. Of this, the export value totalled US$11.94 million, representing an increase of 95.79 percent. The value of exports handled through border trade reached US$11.22 million, accounting for 93.96 percent of the total export value. Major export items include textile raw materials and fabrics, valued at US$5.57 million or 46 percent of the total exports.

Hubei Aids 51 Trucks to Tibet

As a token of support for economic development in Tibet, Hubei province provided the autonomous region with 51 Dongfeng trucks.

Tibet Set to Develop Special Business

Tibet is rich in agricultural resources which are not polluted, medicinal herbs which grow in a pure land, and attractive tourist resources. Efforts will be made to exploit these resources unique to Tibet itself for further economic development.

Mamlha Power Station in Operation

The Mamlha Power Station is one of the 62 projects undertaken with aid from the Central Government departments and fraternal provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government. It is built to generate power, prevent floods, and irrigate fields. Consuming 1.28 billion Yuan, the Station is complete with a reservoir holding 155 million cubic meters, and supplying 66 million cubic meters of water annually. With an installed generating capacity of 20,000 kw, it went into operation recently.