Terminal 3 at Gonggar Airport in Lhasa, Tibet, opened in 2021. [Photo by Tibet Airlines/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Tibet autonomous region is planning 191 key projects this year, with an investment of more than 143 billion yuan ($21 billion), Tibet Daily reported.

According to the region's Development and Reform Commission, the heavy investment will be used for key infrastructure projects, characteristic industries, ecological civilization, border-area consolidation and improvement of livelihoods.

Among the projects of the year, more than 18 billion yuan of investment will be allocated in the first quarter, with more than 40 percent of startups and resumptions of projects expected during the period.

In 2023, about 54 billion yuan will be invested in key infrastructure projects, including the Nyingchi-Ya'an section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway (currently underway), the renovation of Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 at Gonggar Airport in Lhasa, various road and bridge projects and clean energy promotion and utilization in rural areas.

More than 71 billion yuan will be invested in the development of characteristic industries, including clean energy, green industries, tourism infrastructure facilities, plateau agriculture and animal husbandry.

More than 1.2 billion yuan will be invested in ecological civilization, including protection and preservation projects and urban sewage and garbage disposal and collection systems.

Meanwhile, more than 7 billion yuan is expected to be spent on projects of border consolidation and defense. Emergency rescue was also listed.

In addition, about 8.2 billion yuan will be invested to improve and ensure people's livelihoods. Projects include kindergarten infrastructure, public schools, public health services and the construction of a regional planetarium.

Of the completed investments, the amount of completed investment in clean energy projects ranks highest, reaching 2.6 billion yuan. It is followed by transportation and green industry projects, with completed investments of 2.4 billion yuan and 760 million yuan, respectively.

By Daqiong and Palden Nyima in Lhasa