Business people in Lhasa have shown confidence with their future in Lhasa, which is stepping out the shadow of last week's unrest.

At the Wenzhou Shopping Mall in downtown northern Linkuo Road, pharmacy owner Zhang Qi is organizing workers to renovate his Anqi Drugstore to prepare for a reopening in a month.

"The situation here has gone back to normal and now, I have confidence to continue to do business in Lhasa," said Zhang

The store of the businessman from eastern Zhejiang Province was smashed and looted in the turmoil on last Friday, which causes a loss of 7.99 million (about 1.13 million U.S. dollars) yuan to Zhang.

"The city government officials have come to visit us for several times after the riots and they have assured us more preferential policies, like tax reduction, to help us restart business," said Zhang.

A survey with the Tibet regional industrial and commercial bureau showed that 70 percent of Lhasa's markets and shops have resumed operation by Friday.

Wei Dingli, manager with the Baiyi Supermarket branch at the Najin Road, a worst-affect area in the riots, shared Zhang's optimism despite a loss of more than 1.24 million yuan (about 175,800 U.S. dollars).

"Our confidence was not looted by the rioter," said Wei. "Local government has given great support to our private business before and I believe it will be more supportive in the future."

According to the Tibet regional government, rioters set fire to seven schools, five hospitals and 120 residences. Eighty-four vehicles were burnt down and 908 shops were looted in the unrest. Damage is estimated at more than 244 million yuan (about 34.59 million U.S. dollars).

For those victims who lost their residence in the riots, the government has arranged them to stay at the Lhasa relief station, which is about 10-minute-ride from the downtown Lhasa.

The station has received 568 needy victims and helped 144 of them back home.

(Xinhua News Agency, March 23, 2008)