Published by: World Tibet Network News, Satureday, June 22, 1996

Source: 'Xizang Ribao', Lhasa, in Chinese 1 Jun 96

In a visit to Sagya [Sakya] County, the Tibetan party chief has ordered it to abandon its "backward" agriculture and to struggle against "sabotage by the Dalai Lama". The following is the text of the a report by the Chinese regional newspaper from Tibet `Xizang Ribao' by reporter Yixi Jiacuo (4135 6007 0502 2238) [probable Tibetan: Yeshe Gyamtso]

While inspecting Sagya County on 30th May, Chen Kuiyuan, secretary of the Tibet Regional CCP Committee, emphatically pointed out: We must always firmly implement the principle of "laying equal emphasis on both, and be strong in both", develop the economy and carry on the struggle against separatism through to the end. Only if all of the region's counties develop rapidly can our overall strength be increased and the face of Tibet be comprehensively improved as soon as possible. Chen Kuiyuan and people accompanying him first seriously listened to work reports by Baima, secretary of the county party committee; Basang Cering, chairman of the county people's congress; and Zhang Xuexi, county head. Secretary Chen Kuiyuan fully affirmed the fine mental state of the Sagya County leading body and the county's achievements, expressed approval of the trend of thought on work and the measures taken by the county party committee and government, and gave important instructions on how to further strengthen work to develop

and stabilize Sagya County. Chen Kuiyuan pointed out that according to the actual situation of Sagya County, agriculture is not only the base, but also the major industry. In developing Sagya County, it is necessary to grasp agriculture. Once this important sector is grasped, the fundamental thing in economic development is grasped. The natural conditions here determine that it is impossible for agriculture to make great development by depending on extensive and backward ways of farming. This is not only true of Sagya County. Regarding the agriculture issue, the whole region must change extensive operation to intensive operation, strive to increase the percentage of scientific farming, and study and make use of modern ways of operation and science and technology so that agriculture will gradually move forward along the road of modernization. He said that like Sagya County, animal husbandry efforts in our region should focus on improving quality. Our region's per unit area yield in animal husbandry is very lo

w. We must strive to explore new ways to develop a type of animal husbandry that produces good economic results, such as improving grassland, improving stud stock, readjusting livestock structure, increasing the percentage of female animals, shortening the turnover period of livestock, increasing the number of livestock sold and the commodity rate of livestock, and carrying out initial processing of animal products. We must change and abandon traditional concepts and habits that are not in keeping with modernization, adopt ways of thinking and measures that tally with modernization, move forward step by step, and develop agriculture and animal husbandry to a higher level. Chen Kuiyuan also gave instructions on developing Sagya County's rural enterprises and tertiary industry, making use of its mining resources, improving its ecological environment, and building its grass-roots organizations. Chen Kuiyuan stressed that the starting point and standpoint of all our work are to improve the people's living standa

rds. Leaders at all levels must firmly keep in mind our party's purpose, have the people in their hearts, solve concrete problems, and gradually lead the people to the road of prosperity and civilization through developing production.

Speaking about the struggle against separatism, Chen Kuiyuan pointed out that the root cause to instability in Tibet is the Dalai clique. The Dalai and his like have tried in a thousand and one ways to sabotage our region's stability and to obstruct our socialist modernization drive. We must make greater efforts to crack down on their separatist sabotaging activities and must never allow them to undermine the cause of the people of Tibet. Sang Zhu, member of Tibet Regional CCP Committee Standing Committee and secretary of the Xigaze Prefectural CCP Committee, chaired the informal discussion meeting and spoke at the meeting.

He said that Sagya County has made remarkable achievements in various aspects of work. In future, it must regard primary industry as the key point, make great efforts to develop the secondary and tertiary industries, and gradually enable the peasants and herders to shake off poverty, become prosperous, and live a relatively comfortable life. At the same time, it must attach great importance to, and strengthen, the work to stabilize the situation and the struggle against separatism, and create a good environment for realizing Sagya County's Ninth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development. All the people of the county, from top to bottom, must seriously study and gain a thorough understanding of the spirit of Secretary Chen's speech and implement it in concrete work. Chen Kuiyuan and people accompanying him went to the fields to give guidance to agricultural production and extend regards to the people. Also accompanying Chen Kuiyuan on his inspection tour of Sagya County were Laba Pingcuo, re

gional vice-chairman, and Xiangba Gadain, chairman of the Tibet Regional Nationalities and Religious Affairs Commission.