Integrated development drives Tibet to new high

While Tibet was preparing for its peaceful liberation, Chairman Mao Zedong gave instructions to develop the region on a priority basis.

The most important communication links－the Qinghai-Tibet Highway and the Sichuan-Tibet Highway－were extended on the plateau in the 1950s and 1960s, greatly improving connectivity between the Tibet autonomous region and the inland provinces and regions. Since then, the connectivity between Tibet and the rest of the country has improved by leaps and bounds.

Tibet introduced democratic reforms in 1959 to promote equality and unity among all ethnic groups, and liberate and boost the productive forces. In 1960, Tibet began levying agricultural and animal husbandry tax and customs duty, which reflected the State's sovereignty over Tibet.