Dear friends, at this beautiful time when families are gathering in the sunlit spring, I’d like to extend best wishes for a happy New Year to my fellow Tibetans at home and overseas. Losar Tashi Delek!

Looking back, in the Year of the Wood Dragon we forged ahead towards the light. Together we braved the storms, welcomed the rainbow, and bathed in the sunshine. On the road to Chinese modernization, every ordinary person made an extraordinary contribution.

Last year, I visited prefectures and counties with Tibetan communities in Xizang and Qinghai. I saw for myself how harmoniously different ethnic groups are coexisting, and how everyone is living and working in peace and contentment and enjoying a colorful and happy life. I saw children growing up in good health, the elderly enjoying their twilight years, and young people chasing their dreams. I saw Tibetan Opera masters who, through their stage performances, are demonstrating the charm of this ancient art form. I saw how traditional handicrafts are evolving through innovation and shining with renewed vigor. Last year, Xizang witnessed an increase in employment, individual incomes and basic pensions, the expansion of cross-provincial medical reimbursements, and a reduction in mortgage rates. The greater sense of wellbeing and happiness people are experiencing is reflected in the smiles that light up their faces. With the approach of the Tibetan New Year, farmers and herders came together in colorful celebrations of their culture. Through their songs and dances they praised our great motherland, expressed their gratitude for the better life they are enjoying, conveyed their simple wishes, and, in every note, revealed their hopes for an even more beautiful future.

In the Year of the Wood Dragon I saw how, in the embrace of the great Chinese family, economic and social progress is attaining new heights in Xizang, freedom of religious belief is fully guaranteed, and Tibetan Buddhism is further adapting to China's reality. I saw that the lamp of wisdom in the monastery libraries is always lit, that the concept of green development is becoming deeply rooted among the public, and that a low-carbon lifestyle has evolved into a society-wide trend. I saw how transport on the Plateau is now more convenient than ever, how urban and rural landscapes have been transformed, and how people’s livelihoods have been improved by public welfare projects. I saw that the Lhasa-Shigatse High-grade Highway has been opened to traffic, that an ultra-high-altitude wind farm has been successfully connected to the grid, and that a Tibetan medicine smart factory is embracing new quality productive forces. Thanks to all this, the ancient Plateau is radiating with fresh energy, and people of various ethnic groups there are advancing in step with the times.

The earthquake that struck Dingri County in Xizang has been weighing on the minds of people from all sectors of society. In the response to this disaster, I have seen true love and humanity. People’s Liberation Army soldiers rushed to the front line of the disaster relief effort, and people of all ethnic groups across the country lent a helping hand. It’s not just houses that are being rebuilt on the ruins, but also confidence and hope. The spirit of unity and the family affection that inspire such mutual aid are like the sun in winter, a source of warmth. The power that brings us together in a storm to respond to such challenges is like a bright lamp in the darkness, illuminating our way ahead. Thanks to the efforts of the whole society, those affected by the earthquake can be confident of overcoming the present difficulties and rebuilding their homes.

The coming of spring brings with it hope and light. Like the sun rising above the peaks of snow-capped mountains, it’s a promise of warmth. Sailing on the boat of gratitude propelled by the oar of hard work, we will cultivate wisdom through benevolence, refresh ourselves through love, thrive through trials and hardship, and stride into ２０２５ bathed in sunlight!

“By this merit of mine, may all beings without exception rid themselves of all negative acts and always engage in virtue.” I pray for the young to be wise and for the elderly to enjoy peace and wellbeing. May our smiles grow broader and the warmth grow greater. May our country be prosperous and the world be at peace. May everything go well in the Year of the Wood Snake and the virtuous be blessed. Tashi Delek!