| Investors eye Tibet's untapped wealth ( 2003-12-29 22:32) (Xinhua)
 
 
 With rich natural resources, a unique folk culture 
and improving investment environment, China's Tibet Autonomous Region has drawn 
the attention of a growing number of investors from home and abroad. 
 The autonomous region absorbed more than 2 billion yuan (US$241 million) in 
contractual investment in the first 11 months of this year, and used over 400 
million yuan (US$48.36 million), according to statistics from the regional 
investment bureau. 
 The region approved 11 foreign-financed enterprises and contractual foreign 
investment reached US$8.68 million , a year-on-year rise of 89 per cent. 
 Tibet used US$4.67 million of investment from overseas during the same 
period, up 59 per cent over last year. Foreign investment expanded into food 
processing, tourism-related services, catering and recreation, textiles and 
transportation. 
 The central government and other provinces and autonomous regions of China 
have invested approximately 90 billion yuan (US$10. 88 billion) in 
infrastructure construction over the past decade to boosting local economy and 
improve local investment environment. 
 The region has adopted a series of preferential policies and simplified 
procedures for overseas investors. |