Charles Onunaiju, scholar from the Peoples Daily of Nigeria attends the 2014·Forum on the Development of Tibet, China in Lhasa of Tibet Autonomous Region, SW China on August 12, 2014. [Photo/China Tibet Online]

Self-confidence, volubility, caring for the fate of his nation as well as deep understanding of China's national situation, these are reporter's impression on Charles Onunaiju, a special correspondent and member of Peoples Daily in Nigeria.

As a guest attendee of the 2014·Forum on the Development of Tibet, China, Charles had visited Tibet's Lhasa City and Nyingchi Prefecture for one week and made an on-the-spot investigation on the local family inns, museums, and etc. He thought it was a rewarding trip. Before the trip, he presented the forum with a paper titled "The Road to Sustainable Development of Tibet" to state his opinions about Tibet's development. As he said, "The road map to sustainable development in Tibet is not abstractive but well practiced."

The Chinese government is committed to the development of Tibet

Charles Onunaiju said in his paper, "The comprehensive development strategy of all regions and provinces corresponds to the socialist character and orientation of the Chinese State, in which the people of all ethnic nationalities are the target of continuous, sustainable and improved well-being." And what he saw and heard all the way in Tibet has validated his view.

At the beginning, he cited the article 4 of the Constitution of the Peoples Republic of China in Chapter One of its "General Principles" which clear states that "All nationalities in the People Republic of China are equal. The state protects the lawful rights and interests of the minority nationalities and upholds and develops a relationship of equality, unity and mutual assistance among all of China’s nationalities. Discrimination and oppression of any nationality are prohibited; any act which undermines the unity of the nationalities or instigates division is prohibited." This article is one of the most recognized and respected by Charles. In his opinion, the Chinese government dares to face a series of problems that may be triggered by multiple nationalities, dares to look directly at all of these difficulties, and even enables powerful constitution to guarantee the basic interests of all ethnic groups in China. No matter the ethnic group with large number or small number and inhabited in the remote areas, they are all absolute equal in political rights.

Charles also could speak on the Tibetan history with great familiarity. From the peaceful liberation in 1951 and democratic reforms in 1959, to the enhancement of Tibet's status as an autonomous region of the Peoples Republic of China in 1965, he considered that "The break in the theocratic siege of Tibetan population following the democratic reform, heralded strings of strategies and innovations leading to contemporary development in the region." He also thought that it makes no sense of some western media to speak ill of the Tibetan development. Because, he also mentioned in the article, "The 17-Artile Agreement, the cornerstone of the democratic reform of 1959 explicitly stated that in matters relating to various reforms in Tibet, there will be no compulsion on the part of the central authorities. The local government of Tibet shall carry out reforms of its own accord, and, when the people raise demand for reform, they shall be settled by means of consultation". Moreover, which region in the world can refuse its own economic development and social construction?

During his visit in Lhasa and Nyingchi, Charles was amazed by the economic development of Tibet. Many other foreign experts and scholars also said that the real Tibet is quite different from westerners' imagination, and the real one is more beautiful and more developed. Charles attributed Tibet's success to Chinese government." The Chinese central government administration supports the region's development by providing preferential policies, projects and funds and exhorts relatively developed provinces and big enterprises to help the region," said in his article.

Charles specially mentioned the 5th National Conference on Work in Tibet in his article and considered it as an important working form for Tibet's development. Every aspect of Tibet is covered in the national planning formulated by the central government, including the per-capita net income of Tibet's farmers and herdsmen, the region's public service capacity, ecological security and infrastructure construction. They are all clear and practical goals. Therefore, Charles said in his article: "The rapid development of the region of Tibet after the peaceful liberation in 1951...which triggered sustainable development and enhanced quality in the living standard of all people in the region and particularly the ethnic Tibetans."

Charles Onunaiju, scholar from the Peoples Daily of Nigeria dances with the local Tibetans in Gongzhong Village located in Bayi Township of Nyingchi Prefecture., Tibet on August 15, 2014. [Photo/China Tibet Online]

The Qinghai-Tibet railway frees the minds from primordial superstitions and prejudices

Speaking of Tibet's traffic construction, Charles took the Qinghai-Tibet railway which he thought deserves enormous credit as an example. He said: "The completion and operation of the Qinghai-Tibet railway has optimized Tibet's economic growth structure, rationalized its industrial structure and increased the proportion of its secondary and tertiary industries." Only the government investment could support the project which goes beyond human limits. To build the world's longest and highest plateau railway, the workers must overcome the bad natural conditions such as altitude stress, low temperature, oxygen deficit, and frozen soil, as well as protecting the extremely fragile ecological environment of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Therefore, as soon as the Qinghai-Tibet railway completed, it has brought a huge benefit for the Tibet Autonomous Region. Charles illustrates in his paper with examples, "in the first-five months from the operation of the railway, to the end of the 2006, Tibet received 1.86 million tourists from both China and abroad, an increase of 48% over the same period of the previous year," thus, what followed are the immeasurable tourism economic benefits and the promotion and perfection of other industries. "In two years after the opening of the railway, the number of self-employed and private enterprises increased to 77,900 by the end of June 2008." Such a developed economic momentum was unimaginable in the past serfdom society in Tibet.

Take the Baima Family Inn located in the Trashigang Village of the Lulang Township, Nyingchi Prefecture for example, the family inn brings the Baima family an average annual income of about 200,000 yuan (about 32528 U.S. dollars). The Baimas receive visitors during the slack farming season and breed herds during the busy season. Therefore, the family's income is quite considerable over the course of a year. If there were no Qinghai-Tibet railway, there won't be so many tourists to Tibet with such an enormous economic benefit for Tibetans.

In the meantime, the tourists also bring the external culture, which frees the Tibetan minds from primordial superstitions and prejudices. Tibet is no longer a rigid concept in the textbook of mysterious and backward. While preserving the traditional culture, Tibet also needs development and progress.

Tibet's development needs to depend on the concrete and material conditions

"The recognition of all ethnic nationalities in China as the joint-founders of the modern state of China and the practice of regional autonomy with self-governing institutions, especially for ethnic national minorities are key elements of the political system of modern China," said Charles in his paper.

It is well known that the conflicts between nationalities are bound to become a stumbling block to hinder the national stability as well as economic and social development. When it comes to this point, Charles feels deeply grieved. He comes from Nigeria with the largest population in Africa and 250 nationalities. Nearly one thousand ethnic nationalities are distributed in Africa's 54 countries, thus, the complex ethnic problem is an important blasting fuse to trigger disputes. That's why Charles researches on the regional policies in Tibet, aiming to solve the ethnic problems in Africa by using the experience of China's system of regional national autonomy. Charles said in his paper: "This practice has implication for Africa and the lessons can be very useful, especially, for a continent, where ethnic nationalities have been identified as critical fault lines in building State, stability and enhancing economic and social development. The failure of classical western federalism to address the ethnic-nationality fault lines in most of African States…" And he also added: "The practice of regional autonomy and self-governing institution for ethnic nationalities and especially among the ethnic minorities would provide an essential input in finding solution to one of Africa's most intractable problems."

According to Charles, the surround situation of China is relatively serious, and the Dalai Lama clique constantly preaches rhetoric of anti-China, thus it is crucial for the Tibet Autonomous Region and even the whole China to adhere to the regional autonomy of minority nationalities.

Charles spoke highly of China's older generation of leaders, especially Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai, as well as the new generation of leaders, including President Xi Jinping. He hoped that not only the African countries accept economic aid though the friendly policy, but they could also learn China's system of regional national autonomy in order to effectively solve the problems of their own. He wrote in the end of his paper: "The China's experience especially with her autonomous region of Tibet, has shown that, where the ethnic nationality question is properly managed, with solutions to the history and condition of the people, it could trigger a comprehensive development and enhance overall improvement in the quality of the lives of all the people."

After the one-week trip in Tibet, Charles has confirmed his views. He hoped to visit Tibet once again in the future. He said that the Chinese and Nigerian are good friends from generation to generation. Only confronting the problems together as well as promoting the economic and social development, could the two sides have a place in the international society and create a better future hand in hand.

Charles Onunaiju, Special Correspondent & Member, Editorial Board, Peoples Daily