Published by: World Tibet Network News, Thursday, May 23 1996

Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 1546 gmt 20 May 96

Text of report by Xinhua news agency

Beijing, 20th May: A top Chinese official has urged better research in Tibetology, in a move to serve the unification of the motherland and the unity of all China's ethnic nationalities.

Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the call at a forum marking the 10th anniversary of the China Tibetology Research Centre.

The vice-chairman called on the centre to "refute the fallacy that ` China has destroyed Tibetan culture and trampled human rights in Tibet' by applying full and accurate data based on the latest scientific achievements" .

Founded on 20th May 1986, the China Tibetology Research Centre is a research group which concentrates on research into the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan-inhabited regions in the aspects of politics, economy, culture, history and religion.

The fundamental aim of the centre is to facilitate the opening up and modernization drive of Tibet and other Tibetan-inhabited areas and serve the unification of the motherland and the unity of all Chinese ethnic nationalities.

Over the past 10 years the centre has undertaken a series of key state research projects, including "Research into the relationship between the Tibet authorities and Chinese central governments since the Yuan dynasty" and "The environment and development of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau" .

The centre's China Tibetology Publishing House has published 222 kinds of books, topping 930,000 copies.