Latest news with #Xizang
Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Science
- Borneo Post
Xizang ramps up plateau ecosystem preservation
Photo taken on Feb 1, 2024 shows Tibetan antelopes in the Tangbei area of Sanjiangyuan National Park in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. – Xinhua photo LHASA (July 31): Yu Wenhao, project manager of an intelligent monitoring platform of the Tangbei area of Sanjiangyuan National Park, can still vividly recall the hurdles he faced while building a monitoring station right at the headwaters of the Yangtze River. Last October, Yu and his 20-member team trekked to the remote glaciers of Mount Geladaindong in the city of Nagqu, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, to erect a 15-meter-high monitoring tower at an altitude exceeding 5,300 meters. 'The journey was only about 120 km, however, it took us two days to reach the site. There were no roads!' Yu recalled. 'With approval from local authorities, we braved the freezing cold, following experienced local guides to minimise our impact on the fragile plateau ecosystem.' The monitoring station is one of the 14 across the vast region, scattered in the Tangbei (areas under the administration of Xizang north of the Tanggula Range) area of the Sanjiangyuan National Park, as well as the Serling Co and Changtang national nature reserves. Established in 2021 as part of China's first batch of national parks, the 190,700-square-km Sanjiangyuan National Park sits on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at an average elevation of over 4,700 meters. The Sanjiangyuan region, a typical representative of the alpine ecosystem, serves as an alpine biological germplasm bank, making it a crucial ecological security barrier in China. The Tangbei area spans 48,700 square km, accounting for roughly 25.54 per cent of the park's total area. Since 2023, Nagqu has been developing a high-tech monitoring platform integrating satellites, drones, and ground sensors for real-time ecological tracking, according to Wang Mingqing, Party Secretary of the forestry and grassland bureau of Nagqu City. So far, 14 stations, including the latest one that Yu's team established in October 2024, have enabled long-term, automated monitoring of wildlife, glaciers, rivers, wetlands, and ecological restoration efforts across Xizang. 'Nowadays, we continuously upgrade the platform with AI algorithms to improve wildlife identification accuracy,' Yu said. Beyond technology, Yu highlighted growing local conservation awareness. He was deeply moved by affluent young herders volunteering to assist construction in challenging conditions, reflecting a shared commitment to conservation. Today, over 6,000 former park residents serve as ecological rangers, transitioning from resource users to protectors. 'Thanks to advanced technology, local residents' engagement, as well as the intensive support from the country, wildlife populations in Tangbei are steadily rising,' Wang said. Members of a volunteer guardian team from Maqu Township in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region patrol the source of the Yangtze River on Feb 2, 2024. – Xinhua photo Namdrol, 48, a herder from Maqu Township, Nagqu, joined an environmental protection team of the headwaters of Yangtze River in 2016. Over the years, Namdrol and his team have voluntarily organised river cleanups, rescued trapped wildlife, and intervened to prevent environmentally harmful activities. 'We conduct five to six inspection tours every month, covering over 40 km each time. Given the extreme fragility of this ecosystem, where any damage could be irreversible, strengthening ecological protection is absolutely critical,' he said. Xizang has always prioritised eco-environmental conservation and attached great importance to the conservation of the ecology of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It prioritises eco-environmental conservation and green development, and strives to continuously improve eco-environmental governance and protect biodiversity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Xizang has emerged as one of the regions with the healthiest ecosystems in the world. Official statistics show that Xizang has established 47 nature reserves of all kinds, covering 412,200 square km. The region has also rolled out an eco-compensation system to increase the income of farmers and herders and strengthen their awareness of conservation. From 2016 to 2024, an average of 516,000 jobs for eco-environmental protection were created annually, providing an annual per capita income of 3,500 yuan (about US$489.5). – Xinhua China ecosystem nature preservation Xinhua Xizang
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Chinese scientists deliver world's first cloned yak via cesarean section in Tibet
Chinese researchers have successfully delivered a cloned yak via caesarean section (C-section). Born on July 11, the baby yak was bred at a breeding base in Damxung County, southwest Tibet—also known as China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The calf is reported to have weighed 73.9 pounds (33.5 kg) at birth, which is heavier than most yak newborns. Completely black, the calf is in good health and was able to walk with no issues. The birth marks a significant scientific advancement in livestock breeding, particularly in high-altitude environments such as Tibet. Yaks are vital to the local economy and ecology, providing meat, milk, transportation, and fuel (from dung) to communities living on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. The cloning process itself was achieved, the researchers report, using somatic cell cloning. This is a process where the DNA from a body (somatic) cell is inserted into an egg cell with its nucleus removed. The researchers also used whole-genome selection, which is a method that helps identify and propagate animals with desirable genetic traits like size and milk yield. The project was started in 2023 by researchers at Zhejiang University in eastern China who led the scientific work. Other stakeholders included the Damxung County government and the Institute of Plateau Biology in Xizang. The primary objective was to enhance the quality of yak breeds by making them stronger, more productive, and disease-resistant. The agenda was also to help build a modern breeding system suited to the unique conditions of Tibet's high-altitude terrain. Yaks are essential to life on the Tibetan Plateau, where they have been domesticated for thousands of years. Their ability to survive where most livestock cannot makes them critical for food security in the region. They are also essential beasts of burden (aka pack animals) for locals to transport materials across the rugged topography. To this end, they play a vital role in the region's culture and economy, supporting traditional herding lifestyles. Additionally, they contribute to the plateau's ecosystem by grazing sustainably and helping to maintain the balance of grasslands in this unique high-altitude environment. The same somatic cell cloning method used to create 'Dolly' the sheep back in the 1990s. Famously, Dolly was the world's first cloned mammal and was born in 1996 at the Roslin Institute in Scotland. To create her, scientists inserted the nucleus from an adult sheep's udder cell into an egg cell devoid of nucleus. Her birth also overturned previous assumptions as it proved that specialized adult cells could be reprogrammed to create an entire organism. Dolly marked an important breakthrough in genetics and biotechnology, sparking global interest in cloning's potential, as well as its ethical implications. She lived a full and healthy life of six years and had normal offspring before her death.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Tibet issue a thorn in ties with India, says Chinese envoy
File photo: Dalai Lama (AP) NEW DELHI: The Tibet-related issue is a thorn in the China-India relationship, becoming a burden for India, and playing the "Xizang card" will definitely "end up shooting oneself in the foot", said the Chinese embassy spokesperson here taking note of recent remarks by members of the Indian strategic and academic communities. China had earlier formally registered a protest with India over PM Narendra Modi's birthday greetings to the Dalai Lama and remarks by Union minister Kiren Rijiju that the Tibetan spiritual leader's successor would be decided by his Trust alone. Rijiju had later clarified that he had not spoken on behalf of the Indian government. Spokesperson Yu Jing said on X the Indian government has made political commitments to China, recognising that Xizang Autonomous Region is part of the territory of the People's Republic of China, and that India does not allow Tibetans to engage in political activities against China in India. The controversy over the Dalai Lama's announcement that China will have no role in his reincarnation has erupted at a time both countries are engaged in efforts to normalise the relationship after a protracted military standoff. External affairs minister S Jaishankar is expected to arrive in China Monday for his first visit there in six years. While a final decision is still awaited, government is also considering a visit by PM Narendra Modi to China in Sept for the SCO summit. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Modi had last visited China in 2018. "...some people from strategic and academic communities, including ex-officials, made some improper remarks on the reincarnation of Dalai Lama, contrary to Indian government's public stance," said Yu, adding they should be cognizant of the sensitivity of the issues.
New Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Ahead of Jaishankar visit, China says Dalai Lama issue 'thorn' in ties
NEW DELHI: Ahead of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's first visit to China since the 2020 border clashes, Beijing has termed the issue of the Dalai Lama's succession a "thorn' in bilateral ties and a "burden" for India. Jaishankar is scheduled to travel to China on July 14 to 15 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting. On the sidelines, he is expected to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to discuss steps toward normalising ties and measures that could help resolve the long-standing border dispute. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi issued a strongly worded statement on X aimed at Indian academics and former officials for making "improper remarks' on the Dalai Lama's succession. 'Xizang-related issues are a thorn in China-India relations and have become a burden for India,' said embassy spokesperson Yu Jing, using China's official term for Tibet. 'Playing the 'Xizang card' will definitely end up shooting oneself in the foot.' Yu reiterated Beijing's position that the Dalai Lama's reincarnation is 'an internal affair of China' and that external voices must not interfere. She warned that Indian experts and strategic thinkers should be 'fully cognisant of the sensitivity' surrounding the issue.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Shooting oneself in foot': Ahead of Jaishankar's visit, Beijing says Tibet issue 'thorn' in India-China ties; claims Dalai Lama issue 'internal matter'
S Jaishankar, Dalai Lama, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left to right) NEW DELHI: The issue of the Dalai Lama's succession is a thorn in China-India relations, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi said on Sunday. The statement comes days before external affairs minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit China for the first time since the 2020 border clashes. Ahead of the Tibetan spiritual leader's 90th birthday celebrations this month, the Dalai Lama said China has no role in deciding his successor. Tibetans believe that the soul of a senior monk is reborn after death, but China insists its leaders must approve the succession. Yu Jing, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy, posted on X that "some people from strategic and academic communities in India" had made, what she called "improper remarks" on the Dalai Lama's reincarnation. She did not name anyone. "As professionals in foreign affairs, they should be fully cognizant of the sensitivity of issues related to Xizang," Yu said, using the Chinese term for Tibet . "The reincarnation and succession of the Dalai Lama is inherently an internal affair of China," she added. "(The) Xizang-related issue is a thorn in China-India relations and has become a burden for India. Playing the 'Xizang card' will definitely end up shooting oneself in the foot." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If you have a mouse, play this game for 1 minute Navy Quest Undo Minister of parliamentary and minority affairs Kiren Rijiju, who sat next to the Dalai Lama during the birthday event, said, "The Dalai Lama is a defining spiritual leader for Buddhists,' adding, 'The decision about his reincarnation should follow tradition and be made by him alone. No one else has the right.' Ministry of external affairs, in a statement on July 4, said that New Delhi "does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion." Jaishankar is expected to travel to Tianjin on July 15 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Foreign Ministers' meeting and will also hold bilateral talks on the sidelines. The visit comes at a time when both countries are trying to ease tensions and improve ties that plummeted following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.
