Translating the Party’s Strategy for Governing Tibet in the New Era into Concrete Practice

General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: “Tibet must fully implement the Party’s strategy for governing Tibet in the New Era, adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, fully, accurately and comprehensively apply the new development philosophy, solidly advance high-quality development, and continue to grasp firmly the four major tasks of stability, development, ecology and strengthening the border, striving to build a new socialist Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful.” This important exposition, grounded in the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the actual work of Tibet, scientifically answers a series of major questions concerning Tibet’s development, and points the direction for promoting lasting peace and order and high-quality development in Tibet. 2026 is the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan [n1]. Standing at a new historical starting point, we should further deepen our understanding and comprehension of the Party’s strategy for governing Tibet in the New Era, closely integrate it with Tibet’s actual conditions for implementation, continue to grasp firmly the four major tasks of stability, development, ecology and strengthening the border, effectively consolidate the sense of community for the Chinese nation, and constantly open up new prospects for work in Tibet.

习近平总书记强调：“西藏要全面贯彻新时代党的治藏方略，坚持稳中求进工作总基调，完整准确全面贯彻新发展理念，扎实推动高质量发展，持续深入抓好稳定、发展、生态、强边四件大事，努力建设团结富裕文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化新西藏。”这一重要论述，立足中国特色社会主义实践和西藏工作实际，科学回答了关于西藏发展的一系列重要问题，为推进西藏长治久安和高质量发展指明了方向。2026年是“十五五”开局之年，站在新的历史起点上，应进一步深化对新时代党的治藏方略的认识和理解，紧密结合西藏实际贯彻落实，持续抓好稳定、发展、生态、强边四件大事，切实铸牢中华民族共同体意识，不断开创西藏工作新局面。

Deeply Understanding the Party’s Strategy for Governing Tibet in the New Era

深刻理解新时代党的治藏方略

The Party’s strategy for governing Tibet in the New Era is the concentrated embodiment of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era with regard to work in Tibet, and is the fundamental guideline for doing a good job in Tibet.

新时代党的治藏方略是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想关于西藏工作的集中体现，是做好西藏工作的根本遵循。

At the Seventh Central Symposium on Work in Tibet [n2], General Secretary Xi Jinping highly summarized the Party’s strategy for governing Tibet in the New Era with “ten musts” [n3]. Among them, the important principle of must adhere to governing Tibet according to law, enriching Tibet and rejuvenating it, building Tibet over the long term, rallying popular support, and consolidating the foundation highly condenses and summarizes the Party’s successful experience over a long period in governing, stabilizing and rejuvenating Tibet. It has been proven by practice to conform to China’s national conditions, Tibet’s actual conditions and the fundamental interests of the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet. It relates both to top-level design and guides concrete practice; it possesses both strong ideological and theoretical nature and strong guidance, pertinence and operability.

在中央第七次西藏工作座谈会上，习近平总书记用“十个必须”高度概括了新时代党的治藏方略。其中，必须坚持依法治藏、富民兴藏、长期建藏、凝聚人心、夯实基础的重要原则，高度凝练概括了长期以来我们党治藏稳藏兴藏的成功经验，被实践证明符合我国国情、西藏实际和西藏各族人民根本利益，既关系顶层设计，又牵引具体实践，既具有很强思想性、理论性，又具有很强指导性、针对性、可操作性。

Governing Tibet according to law is the concrete manifestation of comprehensively advancing law-based governance in Tibet, and is an important guarantee for doing a good job in Tibet. Work in Tibet involves many aspects. Facing various complex problems, all work must be brought into the orbit of the rule of law, using law to ensure ethnic unity, social stability and religious harmony.

依法治藏是全面推进依法治国在西藏的具体体现，是做好西藏工作的重要保障。西藏工作涉及多个方面，面对种种复杂问题，必须将各项工作纳入法治轨道，用法律保障民族团结、社会稳定与宗教和谐。

Enriching Tibet and rejuvenating it requires taking enhancing the well-being of the people of all ethnic groups as the basic starting point and goal of rejuvenating Tibet, and is an important task and objective of work in Tibet. Development is the foundation and key to solving all problems in Tibet. Only through high-quality development, promoting the effective improvement of economic quality and reasonable growth in quantity, promoting comprehensive social progress, and allowing the people of all ethnic groups to share the fruits of reform and development, can a solid material foundation be laid for lasting peace and order in Tibet.

富民兴藏要求把增进各族群众福祉作为兴藏的基本出发点和落脚点，是做好西藏工作的重要任务和目标。发展是解决西藏所有问题的基础和关键，只有通过高质量发展，推动经济实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长，促进社会全面进步，让各族群众共享改革发展成果，才能为西藏长治久安奠定坚实的物质基础。

Building Tibet over the long term means adhering to the policy of being prudent and steady in advancing, reflecting the strategic resolve for doing a good job in work in Tibet. Doing a good job in work in Tibet concerns the overall situation, requiring a mindset of “achievement does not have to be in my tenure” [n4], carrying on the work one term after another, not seeking quick success or instant benefits, not engaging in short-term behavior, planning all work with a long-term perspective, and ensuring all measures are sustainable.

长期建藏就是要坚持慎重稳进方针，体现了做好西藏工作的战略定力。做好西藏工作关系全局，要求以“功成不必在我”的胸怀，一茬接着一茬干，不急功近利，不搞短期行为，一切工作从长计议，一切措施具有可持续性。

Rallying popular support emphasizes combining material and spiritual forces to consolidate the spiritual and cultural foundation of Tibet’s development. Whether it is developing the economy or improving people’s livelihoods, the ultimate goal is to unite the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet, rallying their hearts and strength to realize the Two Centenary Goals [n5] and the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and building the common spiritual home of the Chinese nation.

凝聚人心强调把物质力量和精神力量结合起来，夯实西藏发展的精神文化基础。无论是发展经济还是改善民生，最终目的都是团结西藏各族群众，把人心和力量凝聚到实现“两个一百年”奋斗目标、实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦上来，建设中华民族共有精神家园。

Consolidating the foundation means addressing both symptoms and root causes, with emphasis on tackling root causes, and is the fundamental policy for doing a good job in work in Tibet. If the foundation is not solid, the ground will shake. We must uphold the Party’s overall leadership, strengthen grassroots organization building, do more work that lays the foundation and benefits the long term, and truly implement the goals and tasks.

夯实基础就是要标本兼治、重在治本，是做好西藏工作的固本之策。基础不牢，地动山摇。要坚持党的全面领导，加强基层组织建设，多做打基础、利长远的工作，把目标任务真正落到实处。

Overall, governing Tibet according to law provides institutional guarantees for the orderly conduct of work in Tibet; enriching Tibet and rejuvenating it points out the purpose of doing a good job in work in Tibet; building Tibet over the long term highlights the continuity of the task cycle; rallying popular support clarifies the direction of work in Tibet in the New Era; consolidating the foundation requires building a solid foundation for work in Tibet. These five aspects are interlinked, forming a complete system, and provide a methodology for doing a good job in work in Tibet.

总的来说，依法治藏为西藏工作的有序开展提供制度保障，富民兴藏指明做好西藏工作的目的，长期建藏突出任务周期的接续性，凝聚人心明确新时代西藏工作的方向，夯实基础要求筑牢西藏工作的根基。这5个方面环环相扣，构成完整体系，为做好西藏工作提供了方法论。

Implementation Has Achieved Notable Results

贯彻落实取得明显成效

In recent years, the Tibet Autonomous Region has fully implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on work in Tibet, closely integrated with local actual conditions, unswervingly practiced the Party’s strategy for governing Tibet in the New Era, strived to build a new socialist Tibet, and achieved all-round progress and historic achievements in various undertakings. In particular, it has continued to grasp firmly the four major tasks of stability, development, ecology and strengthening the border, actively created a national model zone for ethnic unity and progress, a pilot zone for high-quality development of the plateau economy, a national ecological civilization highland, and a national demonstration zone for consolidating the border, enriching the border and rejuvenating the border people, resulting in tremendous changes in the economic and social landscape.

近年来，西藏自治区全面贯彻落实习近平总书记关于西藏工作的重要论述，紧密结合当地实际，坚定不移践行新时代党的治藏方略，努力建设社会主义现代化新西藏，各项事业取得全方位进步、历史性成就。特别是持续深入抓好稳定、发展、生态、强边四件大事，积极创建全国民族团结进步模范区、高原经济高质量发展先行区、国家生态文明高地和国家固边兴边富民行动示范区，经济社会面貌发生巨大变化。

The social situation has continued to be stable and improving. Governing Tibet according to law is the prerequisite and foundation for maintaining stability. Since the New Era, Tibet has built a scientific social governance system, coordinated efforts to ensure safety in key areas such as politics, society, finance and production, and effectively prevented and defused various risks. The public’s sense of security and satisfaction has exceeded 99% for many consecutive years. Under the guarantee of the rule of law, the work of creating ethnic unity and progress has been solidly advanced. As of now, all 7 cities (prefectures) have been established as national demonstration cities (prefectures) for ethnic unity and progress, 38 counties (districts, cities) have been established as national demonstration counties (districts, cities) for ethnic unity and progress, and 69 units have been established as national demonstration units for ethnic unity and progress.

社会局势持续稳定向好。依法治藏是维护稳定的前提和基础。新时代以来，西藏构建科学的社会治理体系，统筹抓好政治、社会、金融、生产等重点领域安全工作，有效防范化解各类风险。群众安全感满意度连续多年超过99%。在法治保障下，民族团结进步创建工作扎实推进。截至目前，7个市（地）全部创建为全国民族团结进步示范市（地），38个县（区、市）创建为全国民族团结进步示范县（区、市），69家单位创建为全国民族团结进步示范区示范单位。

The quality of economic development has significantly improved. In 2025, the gross regional product of the Tibet Autonomous Region was 303.189 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.0% at constant prices, with the growth rate ranking among the top in the country for four consecutive quarters. The per capita disposable income of urban residents was 58,794 yuan, reaching 104.1% of the national average; the per capita disposable income of rural residents was 23,184 yuan, close to 95% of the national average. At the same time, it has insisted on taking improving people’s livelihoods and rallying popular support as the starting point and goal of all work. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, the region has invested a total of 6.115 billion yuan in funds for the development of ethnic minorities, implementing 1,543 projects such as enriching the border and rejuvenating the border people, special industries, and skills training. Transportation infrastructure has achieved a historic leap. By the end of 2025, the total mileage of open roads in Tibet reached 125,200 kilometers, with the road accessibility rate for townships and administrative villages reaching 100% and 92.48% respectively, and the railway operating mileage reached 1,359 kilometers.

经济发展质量显著提升。2025年西藏自治区地区生产总值3031.89亿元，按不变价格计算，同比增长7.0%，增速连续4个季度位居全国前列。城镇居民人均可支配收入58794元，达到全国平均水平的104.1%；农村居民人均可支配收入23184元，接近全国平均水平的95%。同时，坚持把改善民生、凝聚人心作为一切工作的出发点和落脚点。“十四五”以来，全区累计投入少数民族发展任务资金61.15亿元，实施兴边富民、特色产业、技能培训等项目1543个。交通基础设施实现历史性跨越，截至2025年底，西藏公路通车总里程达12.52万公里，乡镇、行政村道路通畅率分别达到100%、92.48%，铁路运营里程达1359公里。

Achievements in ecological protection and restoration are outstanding. Building Tibet over the long term requires viewing work in Tibet with a long-term historical perspective. Ecological protection and ecological restoration in Tibet are concrete manifestations of this long-term vision. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the “roof of the world” and the “Asian water tower.” Protecting the ecological environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is not only a contribution to Tibet itself but also the greatest contribution to the survival and development of the Chinese nation. Tibet has designated over 50% of its land area as an ecological protection red line. In 2025, the proportion of days with good ambient air quality remained above 99%, and the water quality of major rivers and lakes met standards 100%, making it one of the regions with the best ecological environment quality in the world. The “Lhasa Northern and Southern Mountain Greening Project,” as a major ecological restoration project, has completed a total of 1.1087 million mu [n6] of afforestation, with 932,400 mu of newly planted forest, planting over 125 million seedlings, with an overall survival rate stable at over 85%, significantly improving the ecological environment around Lhasa and enhancing the ecological well-being of the people. The people of Longzi County in Shannan City have planted sea buckthorn for 60 consecutive years, building a “green Great Wall” over 40 kilometers long. These efforts are vivid portrayals of adhering to building Tibet over the long term in the ecological field.

生态保护修复成效突出。长期建藏要求以长远的历史眼光看待西藏工作，西藏生态保护和生态修复正是长远视野的具体体现。青藏高原是“世界屋脊”“亚洲水塔”，保护好青藏高原生态环境不仅是对西藏自身，也是对中华民族生存和发展的最大贡献。西藏将超过50%的国土面积划入生态保护红线，2025年环境空气质量优良天数比例保持在99%以上，主要江河湖泊水质100%达标，成为全球生态环境质量最好的地区之一。“拉萨南北山绿化工程”作为重大生态修复工程，累计完成营造林110.87万亩，新增营造林93.24万亩，栽植苗木1.25亿余株，总体成活率稳定在85%以上，显著改善了拉萨周边生态环境，增进了人民群众的生态福祉。山南市隆子县群众60年来接力种植沙棘，建成40余公里“绿色长城”。这些工作正是生态领域坚持长期建藏的生动写照。

Work on strengthening the border has been advanced in an orderly manner. Only with a country can there be a home; without the tranquility of the national border, there is no peace for ten thousand households. A solid border defense relies on the concentration of population and economic development in border areas. Tibet has continuously increased investment in infrastructure construction in border areas, changing the isolated and backward appearance of border areas. For example, Yumai Township in Shannan City has developed from a former “three-person township” into a border well-off demonstration village. All administrative villages have achieved full coverage of mobile 5G network signals, and children enjoy high-quality educational resources through online education. At the same time, based on the resource endowments of border areas, special advantageous industries have been carefully cultivated, allowing border people to increase their incomes and become prosperous through development.

强边工作有序推进。有国才能有家，没有国境的安宁，就没有万家的平安。牢固的边防离不开边境地区的人气聚集、经济发展。西藏持续加大边境地区基础设施建设投入，改变了边境地区闭塞落后的面貌。例如，山南市玉麦乡从曾经的“三人乡”发展为边境小康示范村，所有行政村实现移动5G网络信号全覆盖，孩子们通过在线教育享受优质教学资源。同时，立足边境地区资源禀赋，精心培育特色优势产业，让边境群众在发展中增收致富。

Consolidating the Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation

铸牢中华民族共同体意识

General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that “we must further forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and advance the building of the Chinese national community, and strengthen publicity and education on the history of the Party, the history of the People’s Republic of China, the history of reform and opening up, the history of socialist development, and the history of the development of the Chinese nation.” The reason why forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation has been established as the main line of the Party’s ethnic work in the New Era, and also the main line of all work in ethnic regions, is that the sense of community for the Chinese nation is the foundation of ethnic unity, the emotional bond of national identity and ethnic integration, and the ideological cornerstone of national unification and ethnic unity. Forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation is the source of strength for the Chinese nation’s unbroken continuity and eternal development. Specifically for the Tibet region, whether in stability, development, ecology, or strengthening border areas, it is necessary to enhance the sense of belonging and identification of all ethnic groups with the great family of the Chinese nation. History has proven that only within the great family of the Chinese nation can the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet attain happiness.

习近平总书记强调，“要进一步铸牢中华民族共同体意识、推进中华民族共同体建设，加强党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史、中华民族发展史宣传教育”。铸牢中华民族共同体意识之所以被确立为新时代党的民族工作的主线，也是民族地区各项工作的主线，是因为中华民族共同体意识是民族团结之本，是国家认同、民族交融的情感纽带，是祖国统一、民族团结的思想基石。铸牢中华民族共同体意识，是中华民族绵延不衰、永续发展的力量源泉。具体到西藏地区，无论稳定、发展、生态还是强边，都要增强各族群众对中华民族大家庭的归属感和认同感。历史证明，只有在中华民族大家庭里，西藏各族人民才能获得幸福。

Grasping the four major tasks of stability, development, ecology, and strengthening border areas is precisely the concrete practice of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. The continuous advancement of social stability work creates the precondition for interaction, exchange, and integration among all ethnic groups. High-quality development allows all ethnic groups to share the fruits of reform and development, consolidating the material foundation for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. Protecting the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is in itself a contribution to the Chinese national community. On the border front, loving the country and guarding the border is a direct embodiment of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

抓好稳定、发展、生态、强边四件大事，正是铸牢中华民族共同体意识的具体实践。社会稳定工作持续推进，为各族群众交往交流交融创造前提。高质量发展让各族群众共享改革发展成果，在物质层面夯实铸牢中华民族共同体意识的基础。保护好青藏高原，本身就是对中华民族共同体的贡献。在边境一线，爱国守边就是铸牢中华民族共同体意识的直接体现。

In light of practice, experience can be summarized from the following aspects to strengthen research and exploration. First, adhere to taking law as the guiding principle and improve institutional safeguards. Issue relevant regulations, deepen publicity and education on ethnic unity and progress, and incorporate the forging of a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation into the entire process of national education, cadre education, and social education. Second, adhere to using culture to transform people and build a shared spiritual home. Highlight cultural construction, uphold the fine tradition of cultural services being close to the lives of the people in agricultural and pastoral areas, and actively promote the main theme of ethnic unity and progress. Use new technologies and new forms to continuously tap the contemporary value of the Old Tibet Spirit and the “Two Roads” Spirit [7], spread the stories of struggle of Tibet’s builders, and let the people of the whole nation gain spiritual inspiration from the cultural works of the plateau. Third, adhere to gathering strength through the heart and promoting all-round embeddedness. Run the forging of a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation through all aspects of social interaction activities. Through normalized and everyday interaction and exchange, subtly promote understanding and deepen feelings among all ethnic groups, gradually achieving all-round integration from spatial inter-embedding to spiritual harmony. Fourth, adhere to promoting unity through common endeavors and achieving lasting peace and order. Use the shared pursuit of the socialist modernization cause to unite people’s hearts, adopt various measures to enable the local people of all ethnic groups to integrate into local economic construction work, share opportunities for economic development, and allow them to obtain tangible benefits in the course of development.

结合实践，可从以下几方面总结经验，加强研究和探索。一是坚持以法为纲，健全制度保障。出台相关条例，深化民族团结进步宣传教育，将铸牢中华民族共同体意识纳入国民教育、干部教育、社会教育全过程。二是坚持以文化人，构筑共有精神家园。突出文化建设，坚持文化服务贴近农牧区群众生活的优良传统，积极弘扬民族团结进步主旋律。运用新技术新形式不断挖掘老西藏精神、“两路”精神的时代价值，传播西藏建设者的奋斗故事，让全国人民从高原文化作品中获得精神鼓舞。三是坚持以心聚力，促进全方位嵌入。将铸牢中华民族共同体意识贯穿于社会交往活动的各方面。通过常态化、生活化交往交流，潜移默化促进各族群众增进了解、加深感情，逐步实现从空间互嵌到心灵契合的全方位交融。四是坚持以事业促团结，实现长治久安。以共同追求的社会主义现代化事业凝聚人心，采取各种措施让当地各族人民群众融入地方经济建设工作，共享经济发展的机会，让其在发展中获得实实在在的福利。

(The author is a Distinguished Research Fellow of the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought

（作者系中国社会科学院习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特约研究员、西藏自治区铸牢中华民族共同体意识研究中心主任）