Xizang makes remarkable strides in enhancing people's well-being, boosting economy: white paper

Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region made remarkable strides in enhancing the people's well-being and boosting the region's economic development, according to the white paper released by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on Friday.

As this year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of Xizang Autonomous Region, and Friday marks the anniversary of the liberation of millions of serfs in Xizang, the SCIO has issued a white paper entitled "Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era".

With extensive data and objective facts, the white paper presents a complete picture of all-round progress in Xizang's human rights cause since its peaceful liberation, especially in the new era.

The white paper highlights the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government's commitment to improving the region's economy, enhancing living standards, promoting ethnic unity, and safeguarding the basic rights of all people in Xizang.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, respecting and protecting human rights has been an integral part of the Party Central Committee's governance strategy for the region, the white paper noted.

With an area of over 1.2 million square kilometers, Xizang plays a vital role in China's national security. The region has over 40,000 deputies at people's congresses across four administrative levels, with more than 89 percent representing Tibetan and other ethnic minority groups, the document said.

By the end of 2019, over 600,000 registered impoverished residents in Xizang had been lifted out of poverty. In 2024, the per capita net income of those who emerged from poverty increased by more than 12 percent, demonstrating sustained improvement in living conditions.

Environmental protection has also been prioritized. According to the white paper, Xizang has established 47 nature reserves covering over 400,000 square kilometers. The region is home to more than 1,000 terrestrial wild vertebrate species and nearly 250 wild animal species under special state protection. From 2016 to 2024, Xizang created over 500,000 eco-friendly jobs annually.

Additionally, the region has made every effort to fulfill the religious needs of believers, including approximately 46,000 Buddhist monks and nuns, 12,000 Muslims, and over 700 Catholics, underscoring its commitment to safeguarding freedom of religious belief.

Xizang makes remarkable strides in enhancing people's well-being, boosting economy: white paper

Los Angeles is grappling with rising costs and delays in its wildfire recovery process, as tariffs on construction materials imposed during the Trump administration compound the challenges.

The devastating wildfires recently destroyed over 17,000 homes and businesses, leaving communities urgently pushing forward with reconstruction.

The Trump administration has recently rolled out new tariffs on a wide range of construction materials, including steel and aluminum, from the main trading partners of the United States, such as Canada, Mexico, and China. This has significantly driven up costs, further complicating the recovery efforts

"As the city and county of Los Angeles move aggressively to rebuild the wildfire areas in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, and up in Altadena, to build those houses, we need softwood lumber, aluminum, and steel from Canada," said Gene Soroka, executive director of Port of Los Angeles.

While the tariffs aim to boost domestic production, the transition will take time. In the interim, the shortage of materials is creating ripple effects across the construction sector.

"We are still handling a lot of imported steel, despite the tariffs because there's not enough American manufacturing of steel right now. So, one of the unintended consequences that this has done the wrong way is you don't have enough steel. That impacts construction, that impacts economic growth across the board," said Weston Labar, chief strategy office of Waterfront Logistics.

According to the Associated General Contractors of America, housing costs could skyrocket by almost 50 percent, widening the gap between insurance payouts and actual rebuilding expenses. It may force many homeowners to delay or even abandon their reconstruction plans, prolonging the housing shortage in Los Angeles.

Tariffs are also driving up prices for other products, impacting recovery efforts.

"We need appliances from Mexico, furniture from China, and all of those prices are going up, whether anticipatory, or real as these imports are coming across our port complex. So, we've got to have some pretty detailed discussions about this because families who want to rebuild, businesses who want to get back into the office are going to be impacted by these tariffs one way or another," said Soroka.

As Los Angeles strives to recover, the economic uncertainty caused by tariffs presents a formidable obstacle.

Tariffs add strain to Los Angeles wildfire recovery efforts