Modernization has been an
important issue confronting countries and regions worldwide
in modern times. Since the invasion of the Western powers in
the mid-19th century, it has been the most important task of
the people of all ethnic groups in China, the Tibetan people
included, to get rid of poverty and backwardness, shake off
the lot of being trampled upon, and build up an independent,
united, strong, democratic and civilized modern country.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in
1949, and especially since the introduction of reform and
opening to the outside world, the modernization drive in
China has been burgeoning with each passing day, and
achieved successes attracting worldwide attention. China is
taking vigorous steps to open even wider and become more
prosperous. China's Tibet, with its peaceful liberation in
1951 as the starting point, has carried out regional ethnic
autonomy and made a historical leap in its social system
following the Democratic Reform in 1959 and the elimination
of the feudal serf system. Through carrying out socialist
construction and the reform and opening-up, Tibet has made
rapid progress in its modernization drive and got onto the
track of development in step with the other parts of the
country, revealing a bright future for its development.
This year is the 50th
anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet. Looking
back on the course of modernization since its peaceful
liberation, publicizing the achievements in modernization
made by the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet through
their hard work and with the support of the Central
Government and the whole nation, and revealing the law of
development of Tibet's modernization-these will contribute
not only to accelerating the healthy development of Tibet's
modernization but also to clearing up various
misunderstandings on the "Tibet issue" in the
international community and promoting overall understanding
of the past and present situations in Tibet.
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