(TibetanReview.net, Jan28, 2011) China is to set up three economic zones
in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) with focus on their respective local
resource advantages during the PRC’s 12th Five Year Plan period
(2011-15), reported China’s online Tibet news service eng.Tibet.cn Jan
26. They have been described as western, central and eastern
interdependent economic zones.

The central zone includes the capital Lhasa, as well as Shigatse, Lhoka
and Nyingtri. The report said the TAR government would pursue a great
ambition of making this zone into an international tourist destination
as well as an important comprehensive economic center in the PRC's
western region.

The eastern zone, the report said, would be comprised by the TAR areas
bordering with Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces. The focus here will be to
make it a part of the Sichuan-Chongqing economic circle with
specialization in agriculture and animal husbandry, handicraft and
Tibetan medicine industries.

And in view of its position as a window to South Asia, the western
economic zone will concentrate on establishing a frontier trade market
while paying attention to ecological protection, the report added.