(ECNS) -- Once a remote region with limited resources, Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region now stands as a symbol of transformation, marking 60 years of economic growth and social development since its founding in 1965.

Its regional gross domestic product (GDP) reaching 276.5 billion yuan (about 38.52 billion) in 2024, 155 times that of 1965, marking an average annual growth rate of 8.9 percent, Wang Junzheng, secretary of the Communist Party of China Xizang Autonomous Regional Committee, said at the press conference on the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region.

Wang noted that while it took the region 50 years to achieve its first 100 billion yuan in GDP, the second 100-billion-yuan milestone was reached in just six years.

The region has also seen remarkable improvements in people's living standards. According to Gama Cedain, chairman of the people's government of Xizang Autonomous Region, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, 24.65 billion yuan has been allocated to a total of 28 categories of regional social development projects to meet people's essential needs, including health, education, culture and sports, and social security.

In Xizang, there are 7,231 medical institutions with a total of 21,488 hospital beds and 50,766 healthcare professionals currently, which has significantly enhanced capacity in primary healthcare services including medical treatment, disease prevention, and health maintenance at grassroots level.

A total of 29 primary schools, 15 junior high schools, 5 senior high schools, and 6 secondary vocational schools have been established in the region during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. It also launched Xigaze Vocational Technical College and other major projects to ensure children's access to quality education.

In the cultural and sports sector, a range of infrastructure projects, including cultural radio-television-art centers and smart broadcasting initiatives, along with public sports facilities, have been completed and put into operation. These developments have significantly enriched the lives of residents while fostering a strong atmosphere for nationwide fitness activities.

As for social security, substantial progress has been made with the establishment of 80 support centers serving 5,825 destitute individuals and 11 child welfare institutions caring for 3,236 orphans. Nationwide direct settlement for medical insurance cross-province services has been implemented, while the per capita net income of the poverty-alleviated population achieved over 12.5 percent year-on-year growth in 2024.

According to Gama Cedain, a series of livelihood initiatives have been effectively implemented, including centralized heating and oxygen supply in high-altitude areas, resolution of seasonal water shortages in pastoral regions, improved power supply reliability, and comprehensive fiber-optic broadband with 4G network coverage. These improvements have significantly enhanced the comfort and convenience of daily life for all ethnic groups in the region, he said.

(By Zhang Dongfang)