Tibetologist: China will not change policies on Tibet

 A Tibetan professor said here on Thursday the incident that took place on March 14 would not result in a policy change towards Tibet from the Chinese government.

The Chinese government will continue its support to Tibet to keep the peace and stability in the autonomous region, said Professor Sherap Nyima, head of the Chinese Tibetan delegation now on a visit in Australia.

"The Chinese government will provide 170 billion yuan to Tibet during the period of the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010) to improve social life and infrastructure there," Nyima said at a Tibetology seminar in the New South Wales Parliament House.

The seminar was attended by NSW members of parliament, representatives from the Chinese community in Sydney and local media.

Tibet has undertaken great changes in the past few decades, said Nyima, who is the Vice-President of the Central University of Nationalities of China, adding that the average annual income of the Tibetans increased to around 10,000 yuan in 2007 from 241 yuanin 1965 and the average life expectancy almost doubled in the pastfive decades.

Professor Tseyang Changngo, a member of the delegation and Vice President of the Tibet University in Lhasa, also said the Chinese government has spent lots of money and exerted great efforts in cultural protection in the region.