Lhasa: China is stepping up efforts to showcase the "real Tibet" to the outside world by developing the infrastructure and connectivity to the remote region to counter the adverse publicity generated by the Dalai Lama's campaign to secure autonomy for his Himalayan homeland.
"We encourage more people from abroad to visit Tibet," Xie Ying, Deputy Director at the Government Information Office of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China said.
"Our main task is to introduce the real Tibet to the outside world," Xie said amid the adverse publicity generated by the Dalai's campaign to secure "genuine autonomy".
"Since 1959, the Dalai has been in exile (in India). He is an old Lama, who wears Gucci shoes, likes to travel around the world and is interested in political affairs," Xie told visiting foreign journalists here in the Tibetan capital.
China calls the 76-year-old Buddhist monk a separatist bent on splitting the motherland. The Dalai Lama has repeatedly denied seeking Tibet's independence from China.
He "misleads many people around the world" about the Tibet Autonomous Region, she said about the Dalai Lama.
On the possibility of air connectivity between Lhasa and Delhi, Xie said that "we will make rapid development in future about expanding our flights."
On Sino-India ties, Xie said that the two countries have shared friendship for over 2,000 years. "Tibet Autonomous Region is connected with India through rivers and mountains and feels very close to India."
"Chinese government and the Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region have been working to improve relations and friendship between the two countries," she said. "Our relations can improve further in future as we are closely connected geologically."
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