Deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) from southwest China's Tibet said that Tibet must be adamant in taking development as the top priority so as to build a well-off society, to continue improving the lives of all ethnic groups and to build a modern Tibet, given its relatively backward economic situation.

"It's necessary nowadays to take improving industrial distribution within the whole region into consideration to accelerate economic transformation and to achieve  high-quality and high- efficiency development as relatively reasonable industry structure has formed in Tibet," said Thubten Khedrup, member of the 13th CPPCC National Committee and a professor of China ethnic minority economy at Tibet University.

He added that increased industrial investment should be given to the northern part of Tibet, especially to the tourism industry and farmers' and herdsmen's co-operatives.

"Northern Tibet has peerless plateau grassland sight in the world and continuing nomadic culture, it has the potential to be built as a high-end world-class tourism brand," said Thubten Khedrup.

Besides, efforts should also be made in promoting farmers and herdsmen's cooperatives to accelerate large-scale operation of agriculture and animal husbandry to improve local people's income.

During an interview, Gogok, deputy to the 13th NPC and mayor of Lhasa, capital city of Tibet, and Gungdrak Chowang, member of the 13th CPPCC National Committee and vice mayor of Lhasa, said that Lhasa needs to lead in the transformation of economic development pattern and in promoting high-quality development.

Gogok said in order to improve economic development quality, Lhasa needs to further push forward supply-side structural reform, to make the real economy stronger, as well as to accelerate the development of characteristic industries

Wangdu, deputy to the 13th NPC and mayor of Nyingchi City, said that the gross domestic product of Nyingchi in 2017 is expected to reach 13.331 billion yuan (2.1 billion US dollars), increasing by 10.1%, and the average disposable income of urban residents is expected to reach 26,946 yuan (4,262 US dollars) while that of rural residents will reach 13,407 yuan (2,121 US dollars), growing by 10.2% and 13.5% respectively.

He said Nyingchi should focus on developing green economy and balancing urban and rural development to promote the high-quality development of economy.

Editor: Tommy Tan.