Alongside the country's reform and opening-up, Tibet
opened its door to the outside world with its unique
attractions. In addition to extensive cooperation with
domestic scientific and technological institutions, it has
conducted exchanges and cooperations with more than 20
countries including the United States, Japan, Germany,
Austria and Nepal. In 1987, the region's Bureau of Light
Industry, Textile and Handicraft Industries imported dyeing
techniques and formulae from Switzerland's Sandoz AG, and
invited Swiss experts to Tibet to hold a training course for
carpet dyeing. The training course helped solve a
long-standing color-fading problem and boost the development
of local handicraft industry. The completed leather- and
shoe-making equipment and technology, imported from Germany
in 1992 by the Lhasa Tanyard, laid a foundation for the best
use of livestock resources. The initial exploration of the
local geothermal energy resources attracted a lot of
domestic and overseas geologists and energy experts. Through
inspection, the United Nations and Italian experts concluded
that Tibet had a bright future in geothermal development.
Therefore, they successively invested US$9 million in the
construction of geothermal fields of Yangbajain, Nyingzhong,
Nagqu and Latogka. A second-phase geothermal project,
through grants from the UN Development Program and Italy,
began construction in 1989. China and various foreign
parties have conducted widespread exchanges on the
exploration, development and use of geothermal resources.
They also arranged many overseas investigation tours,
training courses and participation in international
geothermal conferences. In 1993, advanced technologies and
equipment were imported for the construction of a dual-cycle
geothermal demonstration power station at Nagqu. At the same
time, highly-efficient drilling machines and directional
drilling tools were imported. Geothermal experts of Japan,
the United States, Denmark, Iceland, Mexico, Australia,
Canada and other countries also showed their desires to take
part in the exploration of the Yangbajain Geothermal Field.
The region's geothermal energy resources, with
the highest reserves in the country, finally woke up and
began to serve people after lying underground for ages.
However, Tibet still has a long way to go in scientific and
technological development compared with other provinces and
regions. The great support and assistance from other areas
and from the Central Government, as well as people from all
walks of life, have enabled Tibet to keep pace with the
developments of the times.
The Party Central
Committee and the State Council have adopted a series of
favorable policies to make Tibet a "special economic
zone''. In order to accelerate regional development, the
Party Central Committee and the State Council held the Third
Work Meeting on Tibet in July 1994, approving 62 aid-Tibet
construction projects. With a total investment of 2.38
billion yuan, the projects involve transportation, energy
resources, telecommunications, urban construction,
agriculture, animal husbandry and medical and health
services, as well as other sectors related to people's daily
life. With the implementation of the aid-Tibet policy,
scientific and technological assistance was also unveiled.
The State Science and Technology Commission and
provincial-level commissions respectively made plans to
support Tibet. They not only sent scientific workers and
management personnel, but also provided capital and
equipment. In the second half of 1996, the National Work
Conference on Supporting Tibet with Science and Technology
was held in Lhasa by the State Science and Technology
Commission. This further confirmed the implementation of
various projects to move Tibet onto a new plan of science
and technology.
In order to stimulate the
enthusiasm of scientific workers, the people's government of
the Tibet Autonomous Region allocated 1 million yuan in 1993
to set up an award fund for scientific and technological
progress. Various enterprises and institutions in the region
generously donated a further 1 million yuan for this
purpose.
Nowadays, a new practice of learning
from science, loving science, and respecting knowledge and
talented persons is on the upsurge in Tibet. A more
beautiful and prosperous new Tibet is bound to appear as a result.
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