Karma Tsetan, chairman of the Xizang autonomous region, announced at the fourth session of the 12th Xizang Autonomous Regional People's Congress that Xizang is aiming to see GDP growth in excess of 7 percent in 2026.

Other key economic targets include a 15 percent increase in fixed asset investment, a 7 percent increase in total retail sales of consumer goods, and respective rises of 7 percent and 8 percent in per capita disposable income for urban and rural residents.

To underpin this growth, Xizang will continue to expand investment, striving to complete projects worth over 244 billion yuan ($35.16 billion). This includes making solid progress on major infrastructure works, such as the Xizang-Guangdong high-voltage direct current transmission project, along with ongoing improvements to local railway and road networks.

A view of modern, mechanized farming in Xizang. [Photo/IC]

In the agrarian sector, Xizang will develop its characteristic agriculture and animal husbandry while firmly upholding the red line for farmland protection. The planting area of its specialty barley will be maintained at over 150,000 hectares.

The region will also intensify efforts to increase grain production capacity by constructing and upgrading 13,000 hectares of high-standard farmland and building a series of characteristic agricultural product production bases.

These measures will ensure that the output of grain, meat, eggs, milk, and vegetables remains above one million metric tons.