Friendship group praises Tibet after 3-day field trip

An official of the EU-China Friendship Group of the European Parliament has highly praised Tibet's overall development during their field trip to the autonomous region this week.

The seven members of the delegation, from countries such as Britain, Romania, Cyprus, Ireland and Estonia, was invited by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Led by Nirj Deva, chairman of the EU-China Friendship Group, the delegation visited Tibet's Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, Norbu Lingka Park, Sera Monastery and Tibet University during their three-day stay.

It is the first time Nirj Deva has traveled to the plateau city.

"We have all been overwhelmed, amazed by the development. Lhasa is as good as any city in the world," Nirj Deva said on Friday.

The 68-year-old said that the access to education that the Tibetan people are now enjoying would make Tibetan people competitive and successful anywhere in the world, setting up companies or doing whatever they want, because the system has given them the opportunity to study at good universities, get the best degrees and compete at the highest level.

In terms of cultural preservation and religious belief in Tibet, Deva said the local government has spent heavily to preserve Tibetan culture, literature, art and history.

He said he has seen the flourishing of Tibetan Buddhists in the monasteries, people worshipping and going on pilgrimages, and practicing their religion freely everywhere.

Compared with what he heard about Tibet via the media, movies and elsewhere, he said that the Tibet he expected to see was not the Tibet he saw.

"It's been an integral part of China. It is also part of the economic development of China."

Members of the EU-China Friendship Group delegation visit Jokhang Temple on Thursday. Palden Nyima / China Daily