City dwellers in the Tibet Autonomous Region in Southwest China
recorded an average disposable income of 7,760 yuan (US$938) a year
in 2002, about 50 per cent higher than in 1997.
The figure, from the regional statistical bureau, is the highest
recorded by any of the 11 provinces, municipalities and autonomous
regions in western China.
City residents in Yunnan Province ranked second on the list,
earning 7,628 yuan (US$919) in per capita disposable income last
year. They were followed by their counterparts in the Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region, Chongqing, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous
Region, Sichuan, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Gansu, the Ningxia Hui
Autonomous Region, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and
Guizhou.
Today's Tibetans have a significantly improved standard of living,
spending more on clothing, cultural activities, gymnastics,
hairdressing and skin care.
In
urban areas, people are buying not only computers and mobile
phones, but also automobiles. More than 10,000 private cars were
registered in the regional capital of Lhasa last year.
Tibet's gross domestic product has grown at an average of 10.9 per
cent annually in recent years, reaching 15.9 billion yuan (US$1.9
billion) last year.
The region registered a 12.4 per cent economic growth rate last
year, higher than the national average of 8 per cent.
Retail sales in the region rose to 5.25 billion yuan (US$634
million) in 2002, 61.3 per cent higher than the figure for
1997.
(China Daily April 28, 2003)