As part of China's routine diplomatic outreach, 12 foreign youths were invited to visit Xizang Autonomous Region recently in the country's southwest to explore more about the region and China as well.
The youngsters come from 10 countries, working in fields such as media and academia.
Their four-day journey started in Nyingchi, where they explored government-subsidized housing in a village, a Tibetan culture museum funded through the Aid Xizang program, and a national wetland park that has been restoring local ecology since 2009.
In the region's capital Lhasa, the group toured the famous Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple, watched a historical opera, visited a school, and learned about Xizang's history, art and culture through a series of activities.
The Chinese government is proud to show that under its rule, local communities are living even more prosperous and modern lives.
The young visitors echoed the success of governance with what they saw and experienced.
"I always knew that Buddhism was something practiced a lot in this region. And I think what was so interesting for me is how much it's preserved in this province, how much that is valued within this province. I've seen the relics. I've seen the culture. It's all been preserved so well. We've been to a primary school where children are learning not only Tibetan language, songs, folk music and stories, but also English and Mandarin. And I think that's very important for the children to grow up to be multilingual. So, I've genuinely seen the efforts the government is making within the province, to be able to holistically integrate the culture not only of the past, but also be able to accept new technology and AI and modernize the area," said Maryam Razzaq, co-operative education coordinator from the University of Manitoba of Canada.
Chaiyaporn Phayakhrut, assistant professor of Chinese Studies Program of Thailand's Thammasat University, said he has delved more into the region rather than just its religious facet.
"Normally, Thai people, we just know Xizang as a religious place, no more than that. And not many people know about its history. The normal understanding in Thailand was like - Xizang is the land of Buddhism since the very beginning. But that is wrong. So, I think that this kind of thing is very interesting for me and I think in the future, I will find the knowledge about this part and maybe write an article, talking about the changes especially in the ancient history of Xizang," he said.
Foreign youth delegation tours Xizang to better understand China
