Xizang makes remarkable strides in education, culture, economy: associate researcher

With strong support from the Chinese government, Xizang has made remarkable progress in education, cultural preservation, and economic development through a people-centered approach, said Suolang Zhuoma, an associate researcher at the China Tibetology Research Center, following the release of a white paper titled "Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era" on Friday.

The white paper expounded in details on remarkable human rights progress in Xizang in fields such as whole-process people's democracy, the protection of economic and social rights, cultural rights and environmental rights, effective safeguards for the freedom of religious belief, equal protection of the rights of specific groups, and steady improvement in the legal protection of human rights.

The document showed that by the end of 2019, all 628,000 registered impoverished people in the region had been lifted out of poverty, and in 2024, the per capita net income of those lifted out of poverty in Xizang increased by over 12.5 percent.

Drawing from her research and observations, Suolang Zhuoma elaborated on key areas where Xizang has witnessed significant development.

"I want to talk about the development of education in Xizang. In the past, the education, it was like a luxury for most people, and because of this, most people at that time were illiterate. But right now, everything is different because we have the Chinese government. With the strong support of the Chinese government, Xizang now has established a modern education system. So, I want to say that the right to education of all ethnic groups in Xizang now has been fully guaranteed," said Suolang Zhuoma.

She also emphasized the region's efforts in preserving its rich cultural heritage, highlighting that historical sites in the region serve as both cultural symbols and witnesses to Xizang's deep-rooted history.

"Xizang is rich in traditional culture, the traditional culture of Xizang has been effectively protected and inherited. For example, the Chinese government has invested a lot of funds to protect the historical [sites], such as the ancient buildings, the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple. With these protections, this kind of historical buildings have been able to maintain their historical appearance and have become symbols of Xizang," she said.

In addition, Suolang Zhuoma emphasized the crucial role of economic growth in improving living standards in Xizang.

"Economic development has laid a very good foundation for the people's basic right to subsistence. And for example, during my research in Nyingchi, Xizang, I found that many people over there have increased their incomes by opening the home stays and selling handicrafts and improved their quality of life," she said.

She attributed these achievements to Xizang's people-centered development approach, which has laid the groundwork for sustainable prosperity.

"Xizang has always adhered to a people-centered philosophy, and the people of all ethnic groups in Xizang enjoy a very wide range of rights. And the protection of human rights has laid the foundation for sustainable development," she said.

Xizang makes remarkable strides in education, culture, economy: associate researcher

Xizang makes remarkable strides in education, culture, economy: associate researcher

Xizang makes remarkable strides in education, culture, economy: associate researcher

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