Tibet has scored brilliant political achievements and made historic changes in its social system, says a white paper titled "Sixty Years Since Peaceful Liberation of Tibet" issued on Monday.

Since its peaceful liberation, Tibet has abolished feudal serfdom, implemented regional ethnic autonomy and established socialism featuring people's democracy. The former serfs and slaves have since become masters of their own country and society, says the white paper, which was issued by the Information Office of the State Council, or China's cabinet.

According to the white paper, in the elections of people's congresses at the autonomous regional, prefectural, county and township levels in 2007, 96.4 percent of the eligible residents participated in the electoral process.

Of the more than 34,000 deputies directly or indirectly elected to the people's congresses at the aforementioned four levels, more than 94 percent were members of the Tibetan or other ethnic minorities.

Of the deputies to the current National People's Congress, 20 are from Tibet, including 12 Tibetans, one Monba and one Lhoba, it says.

Regional ethnic autonomy has constantly been institutionalized. Statistics show that since 1965 the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region has enacted 279 local regulations, resolutions and decisions with legal effect, which cover political power buildup, economic development, culture and education, spoken and written languages, justice, medical care and public health, relics protection, protection of wild animals and plants, protection of natural resources, and environmental protection, the white paper says.

Now Tibet has established a legal regime of local autonomy, with autonomy-related regulations and separate regulations as the mainstay, protecting the special rights and interests of the people in Tibet in the areas of politics, economy and social life, and promoting the development of various local undertakings, it says.

These regulations have distinctive local features, it adds.