Tibet in focus as Vienna catches China craze

Source: China Daily | 11-30-2007 09:28

Delegates attend the First Forum on the Development of Tibet, China, in Vienna, Nov. 29, 2007.(Xinhua/Liu Gang)

VIENNA, Austria: Oriental Swans mesmerized the audience with the grace and beauty of traditional ballet and the dazzling sophistication of Chinese acrobatics on Tuesday.

Before the audience could get over the hangover of the classic show, came Wednesday's solo concert by a young Chinese singer. Featuring a well-thought-out blend of Chinese and Austrian classics, it evoked waves of applause from the Golden Hall of Vienna. More spectacular shows are in the offing as the Chinese Culture and Arts Week unfolds in the Austrian capital.

But for organizers of the "First Forum on the Development of Tibet, China", which opened Thursday, culture is only part of the exchange and mutual understanding." We began thinking about such a platform for discourse on development issues after realizing people's interest in Tibet was not limited only to the cultural aspect at last year's China Tibet Culture Week," said president of the Organization to Support Austrian and Chinese Economic Cooperation Franz Loschnak.

"There is a craze for Chinese culture in Vienna now," former Vienna vice-mayor Sepp Rieder said. "We need all-round knowledge about China, including its economic development. This forum will serve as a fine starting move."

The two-day forum brings together some of China's and Austria's most active authorities on Tibet, including development planning officials in Tibet and the central government, Austrian experts on Tibetan studies, and business people from the Tibet Autonomous Region and Austria.

Participants from Tibet will not only to brief their Austrian hosts on the situation in the region, but also want to listen to the latter's opinion. Tibet Vice-Chairman Nyima Cering visited a major meat processing plant in Vienna on Wednesday, with the hope of collaboration.

"Delivering real benefits to the average Tibetans is the overriding concern of the autonomous region's government," he told a press conference on the sidelines of the forum. "Our major focus has been on ordinary farmers and herdsmen. We arrange meticulously for them to make choices important to their lives to ensure all development projects are what they truly need and want."

Since the Qinghai-Tibet Railway began operating last year, many Tibetans have got specialized training and jobs, he said. "That helps a lot in raising income and living standards."

Responding to questions on Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama, Cering said there are 46,000 monks and nuns at more than 1,700 temples and monasteries in the region. "That's enough to serve the needs of believers."

Asserting that the Dalai Lama is not a simple religious figure, Cering said the doors for dialogue with the Dalai Lama are not closed. "We have received two dozens of his envoys since 1979... The central leaders have also met with some of them."

Editor:Zhang Ning