Beijing Review released documentary on the relocation of residents on the Tibetan plateau

BEIJING, Oct. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Phuntsog Gyatso, 33, seldom left his village in Sangri County, Tibet Autonomous Region, in the first 30 years of his life. Both his mother and brother have disabilities. And as the only bread earner in the family, Phuntsog Gyatso had to take care of the family and the highland barley fields all by himself.

His village was located on top of a 4,053-meter-high mountain, and his highland barley fields were half way up the peak. There was no irrigation system. The family lived at the mercy of the elements and was far from prosperous before 2017 due to the lack of other income sources.

But things changed in June 2017 when his family moved to Chugi New Village, built by the local government for those who used to live in inhospitable areas. The family got a brand new two-story house, which is 10 km away from the Sangri town center.

Every household has been assigned farmland with access to irrigation systems. "Besides highland barley and potato, I now can plant wheat and a variety of vegetables. And I can water them whenever needed. It's much more convenient and productive," Phuntsog Gyatso told Beijing Review.

Also the new village has 106 greenhouses. Every household can apply for one greenhouse to grow vegetables or fruits.

And the relocation means much more than a new house for him. A year and a half after the relocation, he got married. With his wife taking care of the family, Phuntsog Gyatso borrowed $43,812 from a local bank and bought a concrete mixer in 2019. It brought him an income of $17,525 in the first eight months of this year.

By the end of 2019, 263,000 Tibetans who used to live in inhospitable areas had moved into 960 new residential communities.

This documentary was produced by Beijing Review, China's only national weekly news magazine in English. It reveals the recent development of livelihood of residents on the Tibetan plateau in China.

Contact：Li Nan
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SOURCE Beijing Review