Padma Choling, chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region

Mar. 28th, 2011 is the 52nd anniversary of Tibetan serfs' emancipation from feudal serfdom. Today, all people in Tibet celebrate the 2nd Tibetan Serfs' Emancipation Day. Padma Choling, chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region, made a speech on TV, China Tibet Online reported.
Fifty-two years ago, the Central People's Government and the Preparatory Committee for the Tibet Autonomous Region led the Tibetan people to quell the rebellion, implement democratic reform, overthrow the feudal serfdom under theocracy, and abolish all savage punishments. As a result, a million serfs and slaves were freed and became masters of the country as well as the Tibet Autonomous Region. It was a day all Tibetan people should always remember, said Padma Choling.
He added Tibetan people have made great achievements in building a new socialist Tibet during the past 52 years. During the 11th Five-year Plan period (2006-2010), the region's GDP grew steadily from less than 30 billion yuan to 50.7 billion yuan, with the annual increase of 12.4%. The rural per capita net income reached 4318.7 yuan, nearly twice as much as 2005.
By the end of 2010, the total population in Tibet reached 1.93 million, 2.4 times of that in 1959. The life expectancy rose greatly, from 35.5 years old before the emancipation to current 67 years.
Padma Choling said Tibet's great changes told us that only the Communist Party of China can promise a prosperous future for Tibet. Tibet is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and will be China's land of charm forever.
2011 is the starting year of the 12th Five-year Plan Period (2011-2015), also the 90th anniversary of the foundation of Communist Party of China and 60th anniversary of the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet. We should take Tibet's development and prolonged political stability as our historic missions and make a promising future for Tibet and Tibetan people, said Padma Choling.