LHASA: Ethnic Tibetans still dominate their autonomous region, with migrant workers having little impact on population numbers, a leading official said on Wednesday.

Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region government, told Russian journalists that the region's population had increased mainly due to natural growth rather than migration by any other ethnic groups.

"Tibet now has a total population of 2.62 million, and 92 per cent are ethnic Tibetans," he said.

The birth rate in Tibet is 18 per thousand head of population and the mortality rate 6 per thousand. This makes the growth rate around 12 per thousand, increasing the population by 30,000 annually, he said.

Tibet's rural areas are exempt from the national family planning policy. Instead, the local government encourages local residents to "bear and rear better children."

The chairman said the migrant population in the region is increasing with economic development and the construction of a major railway.

But these people will not end up as permanent residents because of the bad weather and rough terrain, he stressed.

"The ratio of ethnic groups in Tibet will not change dramatically," he said.

The chairman also said that Tibet "will make good use of every cent given by the central government and other provinces and municipalities."

The chairman noted that the Tibetan people know that all this money is hard earned.

Since the central government has granted Tibet many preferential policies and selfless assistance, the local regional government will make good use of the precious funds to develop Tibet, he said.

Xinhua

(China Daily 09/26/2003 page2)