A view of Potala Palace in Lhasa, Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Photo: VCG

Editor's Note:
The year 2025 marks the 60th founding anniversary of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Over the past six decades, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xizang has undergone a historic transformation, creating what is often described as a miracle of "leaping thousands of years in just a few decades."
To mark this milestone, the Global Times has invited five scholars from China and abroad who have personally visited Xizang to share their observations. From the perspectives of infrastructure, education, ecology, livelihoods and religion, they offer their vivid firsthand insights that help the world better understand China's governance approach in Xizang and discover the story of Xizang in the new era.
Arnold August, a Canadian author and journalist
On the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region, I would like to share my experience regarding its infrastructure based on my recent weeklong visit there. 
I experienced the rail line during the 2,000-kilometer, 22-hour-long overnight train trip at an altitude often reaching 5,000 meters. This railroad stands, even for many Western experts, as an engineering miracle. Before the 1950s, a journey to Xizang meant hauling loads of goods across icy terrain. However, now, the (Qinghai-Xizang) railway, along with 124,900 kilometers of roads and 183 domestic and international air routes, has redefined accessibility for this region. It stands as both a practical lifeline and a symbol of national integration, enhancing economic development, tourism and cultural exchange.
In addition to the railroad, I was also impressed by another example of infrastructure in Xizang. I discovered this during a visit to a new town outside of Lhasa, regional capital of Xizang Autonomous Region, the high-tech industrial development zone and entrepreneurship service platform. All applicants need to do is bring their own computers. 
Here, individual initiative is promoted. For example, the use of a specialized drone as modern infrastructure to assist mountainous agricultural areas is one of the inventions of these small start-up companies. This balance between collective purpose and individual creativity reflects a feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
From a past of poverty and isolation to today's use of railways and drones, Xizang exemplifies how infrastructure continues to serve as the bridge between tradition and modernity, between local needs and national goals. It is not merely about roads and railways, but about building unity, opportunity and a shared future. 
Roland Boer, an Australian Marxist philosopher and professor at the School of Philosophy at Renmin University of China
I would like to talk about religion in Xizang, in terms of fact and fiction. Too often, some Western commentators - who really should know better - circulate fiction about Buddhism in Xizang.
The claim is that "there is no religious freedom in Xizang" and "Buddhism is suppressed." That is fiction. And the facts? From my own experience: I have walked the streets during religious festivals, mingling with people in their traditional dress as they freely took part in rituals they have practiced for centuries.
I have entered temples and witnessed people expressing their devotion. At the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, for instance, where the famous golden statue of the Buddha stands, worshippers line up and are free to express their faith as they choose.
Far from being suppressed, Buddhism in Xizang is flourishing. The local governments of the Xizang Autonomous Region, with the central government, has devoted immense resources to restoring and maintaining religious sites, as well as supporting the various Buddhist teaching institutions across the region.
I have also visited universities, where the Tibetan language is actively taught and researched. In schools, children learn both Putonghua and their local language. The culture in Xizang is not only alive but being renewed and passed on from generation to generation.
Lajia Zhoudang, dean of the School of Marxism with the Sichuan Minzu College and a Tibetan
The achievements of six decades in Xizang are comprehensive, and every aspect of Xizang's society has seen an unprecedented transformation, according to reality and various figures. The most impressive aspect is the development of education. It can be seen as the cornerstone to Xizang's historic progress, embodying the successful practice of the CPC's governing approach. The improvement of the wellbeing of the people reflects the practice of Chinese modernization. 
This model of modernization has always maintained a people-centered approach, with the happiness of the people being its goal. In 1965, the region had just five middle schools and 68 primary schools. Today, it is home to 3,618 schools, with about 97,000 teachers, serving 970,000 students - more than a quarter of the region's population. 
The progress of education in Xizang has been the key factor driving the whole region's social development. Moreover, boarding schools throughout the region are a vivid example of Xizang's historic achievements in its economic and social progress. This kind of education is people-centered, providing convenient, high-quality education to the children in the region.
S.L. Kanthan, a geopolitical analyst, columnist, blogger, podcaster and writer based in Bangalore, India
If you visit China, don't just stick to cosmopolitan destinations. Add Xizang to your list - because here, you don't just see, you truly understand, how life is lived.
From small towns to Lhasa, I felt very safe walking the streets, even after midnight. I saw local families taking strolls in the evening, shopping at markets and relaxing in charming parks and public squares. Restaurants were busy but orderly, and public transport, including buses and taxis, was clean and convenient. 
The overall atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. The service in hotels was fantastic, and the staff went to great lengths to help us, even if some didn't speak English. 
I was able to find out some statistics of the local residents. For example, life expectancy in Xizang is now 72, which is higher than most countries of the Global South. 
What enables such prosperity is the massive investment by the Chinese government in airports, high-speed trains, modern highways, impeccable city roads, comfortable hotels and restaurants, fast 5G network, beautiful parks, theaters, and healthcare. 
This demonstrates how a meritocratic and people-oriented government can dramatically improve the standard of living of the people.
Paul Zilungisele Tembe, professor and the founder of South Africa-based SELE Encounters, focusing on cross-cultural & civilizational communication strategies 

What impressed me most during my trip to Xizang was the ecological balance with modernization. 
In Xizang, modernization doesn't come at the expense of nature or traditions. Modernization goes hand in hand with nature, a good reflection of the coexistence between humans and nature. Some of the industries that have been developed in that area are renewable energy, hydropower, solar energy and wind energy. This is part and parcel of the development of Xizang.
Xizang is the water tower of Asia, and it is the roof of the world. Environmentally, it is the heart of Asia's water resources, especially when it comes to natural resources that are not found anywhere else. Therefore, the fast development that we found there is a result of the balance between humans and nature, which is an integral part of ecological civilization.