THE RELENTLESS COLONIZATION OF OCCUPIED TIBET

THE RELENTLESS COLONIZATION OF OCCUPIED TIBET

In my analysis, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway symbolizes the relentless pace of colonization of Occupied Tibet.

During the 1950s, both Tibet and India failed to imagine the real consequences of Communist China’s military invasion of Tibet. The leaders of both countries made futile attempts to appease Communist China for they had grossly underestimated China’s capabilities to occupy Tibetan Plateau building roads, bridges, and railway lines. These infrastructure projects across the vast Tibetan Plateau tremendously boosted China’s defense capabilities. Evicting the Occupier of Tibet may indeed pose a super challenge. For I trust in God, I conclude that ‘Nothing is Impossible’.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

Qinghai-Tibet Railway carries record-high passengers in

2018

[Photo/IC]

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world’s highest and longest plateau railroad, last year carried around 16.56 million passengers.

The figure represents a 10 percent year-on-year increase and a new record since the railway began operating in 2006.

The railway delivered 34 million tons of cargo in 2018, an increase of 5.8 percent in 2017, according to the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company. The railway has in 12 years transported a total of 182 million passengers and 552 million tons of goods.

The railway’s capacity has improved significantly since the Golmud-Lhasa section, an extension of the railway, was completed in August last year. New management and mechanisms were introduced to improve efficiency.

During peak times the railway company also ran additional or temporary trains to meet increasing ticket demands.

The enhanced transportation capacity has been a catalyst for social and economic development in Tibet autonomous region and Qinghai province, as well as a driving force for tourism in the regions.