(Xinhua is the offiical news agency of the People's Republic of China)

LHASA (March 30) XINHUA - Tibet Autonomous Region has decided to invest 400 million yuan (about 50 million dollars) in its major telecommunications projects.

According to an official with the telecommunications department, the major telecom projects include laying optical fiber lines from Lanzhou in Gansu Province to Xining, from Qinghai Province to Lhasa, Tibet, from Nyingchi to Qamdo and from Nyingchi to Mainling.

The official said Tibet is also to launch projects on a regional TV conference system, the Lhasa digital telephone network, the analog telephone networks in Shannan, Xigaze and Nyingchi, as well as the technical upgrading of the Lhasa mobile telecommunications system and the regional pager systems.

In addition, Tibet is to complete the construction of an emergency telecommunications network and its headquarters.

The official said Tibet is to add 30,000 phone lines this year and telephone coverage rate in Tibet's urban and township areas is expected to reach 12.5 percent, and 20.5 percent in Lhasa, by the end of the year.