Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region plans to launch its first English language periodical on Tibetan studies this year, a publication for global researchers on Tibet and its culture.

"The proposal for the English version of 'Tibetan Studies' was submitted early last year and received a warm welcome from the central government," said Lan Guohua, a researcher with Tibet's regional academy of social sciences, at the annual regional political advisory session in Lhasa Tuesday.

Lan is a member of Tibet's regional committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

His academy has been publishing Tibetan Studies, a bimonthly periodical, in Chinese since 1981 and in the Tibetan language since 1982.

The publication focuses on Tibet's economy, history, religion, culture, archeology, language, traditional medicine, art and folklore.

Lan said Tibetan Studies has a circulation of about 2,200, including 1,200 Chinese and 1,000 Tibetan copies.

"It's mainly distributed to foreign embassies and diplomatic missions in China, as well as universities, research institutes and worldwide Confucius Institutes."

The English publication will help foreign Tibetologists learn more about the plateau region, he said.

Lan said the first issue will be published later this year, but the exact timetable is not immediately available.

A global enthusiasm for Tibet has brought flocks of tourists as well as global experts and scholars to the plateau region in recent years. "Many people are fascinated by this land and are eager to unravel its mystique."

Last month, Lan and his colleagues visited the China Research Center of Nepal and donated the English edition of "Tibet History," written by Tseten Phuntsog, a noted specialist on Tibetan studies.

A Nepali student who majors in Tibetology at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India said the book told a "totally different facet of Tibet" from what he had learned.

"What he read in the past were mostly written from the Western perspective," Lan said. "It's therefore important for us to publish our own English academic periodicals globally so as to have our voices heard and provide the readers a more comprehensive and balanced view."

On the other hand, Lan said his academy was also expanding cooperation and exchanges with foreign research bodies, hoping to share the ideas and research findings of their global colleagues.