Beijing Report Hails 60 Years Of Reforms In Tibet

Beijing on Wednesday issued white paper on Tibet saying the last 60 years have seen the region "establish a new social system that liberated the people and made them the masters of the nation and society, thus ensuring their rights in all matters".

The report by the State Council follow a disclosure from the US this week that American diplomats and officials have been impeded on visits to the region and journalists curbed from making independent assessments of people's lives there.

"The leap of Tibet's development fully demonstrates that its democratic reform conformed to the historical trend of the times and the fundamental aspirations of all ethnic groups in Tibet, and met the people's real demand for social progress," the report said.

Tibet's executive vice governor Norbu Dondrup reviewed gains in the economy, health care and education since 1959 and castigated the self-declared government-in-exile established by Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama as illegitimate.

Dondrup denied Tibet's traditional culture and religion were being suppressed but said China would act against "foreign intervention."

He also denied there was any significant support for Tibet as a separate political entity saying, "The issue of Tibetan independence does not exist."

Despite travel restrictions in Tibet, Dondrup repeatedly emphasised that journalists must travel to the region to see for themselves the conditions there.

He declined to address issues of access and dismissed reports of Tibetans facing travel restrictions as rumours. (AP, Xinhua)