Social order was returning to normal in Aba County of southwestern Sichuan Province after riots rocked the Tibetan-inhabited county last Sunday, local sources said.

More than half of the shops on major streets were seen reopened for business on Saturday in Aba.

At Qiatang, the county's biggest market of agricultural products, various vegetables and meat were on sale. A vendor surnamed Liu told Xinhua that market supplies were getting back to normal as a growing number of trucks were carrying vegetables to the county seat.

Kang Qingwei, the county's Party chief, said government departments and major enterprises were "running normally" and that high and elementary schools would reopen on Monday.

The unrest began on Sunday afternoon when a group of rioters, shouting slogans of "Tibet Independence", carrying rocks and self-made petrol bombs or waving the flag of "Tibetan-government-in-exile", attacked government offices, including the county government office building, police stations, hospitals, schools, shops and markets.

They also torched houses and shops, burnt a dozen vehicles, and beat civilians, police and government officials.

Local government and relevant departments took immediate actions to handle the riot in line with law.

(Xinhua News Agency, March 23, 2008)