By Wu Jiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-04-03 07:25

Tibetans have not been marginalized by economic growth, but have rather seen their incomes steadily rise, a Tibetologist said yesterday.

Zha Luo, a Tibetan associated professor with the department of ethnic minority history under the Chinese Academy of Social Science, told a press conference of the State Council Information Office it is irresponsible to rush to the "Tibetan marginalization" conclusion.

Based on a study of more than 1,200 Tibetan villages his team completed eight years ago, Zha Luo said farmers' income sources can be divided into four categories: traditional agriculture; herbal resources; tertiary industries; and non-agricultural sectors, such as construction, which have become prosperous with rapid infrastructural improvements in the region.

Tibetans are still the dominant force in the first two categories, he said.

And local people, who traditionally built only two-story structures, are also rapidly learning about the construction sector, he said.

"Tibetans have become contractors of many projects, hiring Hans as workers," Zha Luo said.

The region's tertiary industry workforce is diverse, and Tibetans are competitive in the sector, he said.

According to the study, the region's development has provided Tibetans with many opportunities for modernization and increasing their incomes, Zha Luo said.

The average net income of Tibetan farmers and herdsmen has maintained double-digit annual growth over the past five years, reaching 2,788 yuan ($390) last year, according to figures from the regional government.