In the last three decades, the CPC Central Committee has held five national meetings on Xizang, issuing significant decisions and plans at pivotal historical junctures based on ground realities. These actions and plans have contributed significantly to driving forward long-term peace, stability, and high-quality growth of Xizang.

The Third National Meeting on Xizang

From July 20 to 23, 1994, the CPC Central Committee held the Third National Meeting on Xizang in Beijing. During the meeting, the guiding principles for Xizang's work were established as "one central task, two major issues, and three guarantees". Additionally, significant decisions were made to support Xizang through a framework of "divided responsibilities, pairing assistance, and regular rotation". This involved 14 provinces (municipalities) providing support to seven cities in Xizang and overseeing the implementation of 62 projects in the autonomous region. At the same time, a range of fiscal and tax incentives, including "baseline determination, incremental quotas, and special support", were introduced in Xizang. Between 1994 and 2000, the central government provided Xizang with a cumulative subsidy of 28.917 billion yuan, ensuring the region's economic growth, comprehensive social advancement, long-term peace and stability, and ongoing enhancement of people's living standards.

The Third National Meeting on Xizang in July 1994

Beijing Xizang Hotel

Paired Assistance Relations Identified at the Third National Meeting on Xizang

Note: Following its transition to a municipality directly under the central government in 1997, Chongqing has taken on the responsibility of assisting Xizang. As a result, the count of provinces and municipalities offering aid to Xizang rose to 15.

The Fourth National Meeting on Xizang

From June 25 to 27, 2001, the CPC Central Committee held the Fourth National Meeting on Xizang in Beijing. At the meeting, the primary objectives for comprehensively advancing Xizang's work in the new century were delineated. It was emphasized to adhere to the principles of "divided responsibilities, pairing assistance, and regular rotation". The period for pairing assistance to Xizang was extended by 10 years, with the support relationships remaining largely unchanged. Furthermore, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and Anhui provinces, and 15 major central enterprises were included in the assistance efforts for Xizang, realizing comprehensive coverage across 74 counties (cities, districts). Meanwhile, a decision was made to intensify the special policy support for Xizang, continuing the financial subsidy policy of "full revenue retention, incremental subsidies, and special support". The central government allocated a total subsidy of 201.248 billion yuan to Xizang from 2001 to 2009. Support for Xizang included 117 projects with investments totaling 31.178 billion yuan, facilitating Xizang's economic leap from rapid growth to transformative development and fostering Xizang's social landscape transitioning from a state of fundamental stability to long-term peace.

The Fourth National Meeting on Xizang in June 2001

Expansion and reconstruction projects of the Lhasa-Gongkar Airport Highway

Golmud-Lhasa section of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway

Paired Assistance Relations Identified at the Fourth National Meeting on Xizang

Note: In 2004, Sichuan discontinued its participation as one of the provinces supporting Xizang. Instead, Wuhan Iron and Steel (Group) Co., Ltd. and Aluminum Corporation of China Limited were included to take on corresponding support responsibilities.

The Fifth National Meeting on Xizang

From January 18 to 20, 2010, the CPC Central Committee held the Fifth National Meeting on Xizang in Beijing. During the meeting, a comprehensive review of Xizang's progress and experiences in development and stability was conducted. There was a profound analysis of the challenges and tasks ahead in Xizang, laying out the guiding principles, key tasks, and work requirements for effectively managing Xizang now and in the future. Strategic plans were also made to propel Xizang towards leapfrog growth, long-term peace, and stability. The meeting emphasized the need to enhance nationwide support for Xizang by extending the pairing assistance policy to Xizang until 2020. It was proposed to establish a mechanism for stable growth of aid funds to Xizang, where the annual aid investment in physical goods for assisting provinces (cities) would be calculated at 1‰ of the local general budget revenue from the previous year. The aim was to improve the integrated framework for supporting Xizang through official assistance, economic aid, talent support, and technological assistance. Furthermore, 180 key projects were identified for supporting Xizang's development, with an investment of 137.8 billion yuan. The meeting also highlighted the continuation and refinement of financial policies such as full revenue retention, incremental subsidies, and special support. From 2010 to 2014, the central government provided a total subsidy of 398.739 billion yuan for Xizang.

The Fifth National Meeting on Xizang in January 2010

Opening of the Galongla Tunnel on the Metog Highway—China's last county-level highway

Lalho Hydroproject

The Sixth National Meeting on Xizang

From August 24 to 25, 2015, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the Sixth National Meeting on Xizang in Beijing. The meeting outlined the guiding principles, goals, requirements, and key measures for Xizang's current and future endeavors as well as strategic plans to further advance Xizang's economic and social development, long-term peace, and stability. The meeting proposed an important strategy—“to govern the country well we must first govern the frontiers well, and to govern the frontiers well we must first ensure stability in Xizang", and the guideline—"We must govern Xizang in accordance with the law, bring prosperity to Xizang and its residents, unite the people in one heart, and lay a solid foundation for its long-term growth", so as to enhance the identification of the people of all ethnic groups with the motherland, the nation as a whole, the culture of our country, the CPC and socialism with characteristics specific to China. The meeting stressed that pairing assistance is a strategic decision by the central government for the comprehensive development in Xizang and serves as a key platform for our Party to nurture officials. It is crucial to deploy excellent talent to remote and challenging areas to strengthen their resolve and enhance their abilities. Following the meeting, the central government continued to enhance fiscal and tax policies to bolster Xizang and raise transfer payments. From 2015 to 2019, Xizang received a total subsidy of 787.978 billion yuan. Additionally, 189 projects were earmarked to drive Xizang's economic and social progress throughout the 13th Five-Year Plan, with a total investment of 657.6 billion yuan—almost twice the amount from the 12th Five-Year Plan period.

From August 24 to 25, 2015, the Sixth National Meeting on Xizang was held in Beijing. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech and put forward the strategy of "six musts" for governing Xizang and 20-word working principles.

The Lhasa-Nyingchi High Grade Highway has a total length of 409 kilometers, with 220 bridges and 20 tunnels along the line.

Relocation and resettlement site of Atuoka Xiaokang New Village, Lhorong County, Chamdo

The Seventh National Meeting on Xizang

From August 28 to 29, 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the Seventh National Meeting on Xizang in Beijing. Keeping in line with the overarching goals of the Party and the country, the meeting strategically mapped out enduring peace and stability, and high-quality growth for Xizang. It extensively articulated the Party's governance strategy for Xizang in the new era, clearly defining the goals, responsibilities, principles, and policies for current and future work in Xizang. Such deliberations infused significant intellectual and operational vigor into advancing initiatives and building a new modern socialist Xizang that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. The meeting stressed a long-term commitment to the CPC Central Committee's policy to ensure Xizang has support from the central authorities and assistance from the whole country. Assistance to Xizang demonstrates the remarkable advantage of our country's socialist system which has the ability to mobilize resources to accomplish major initiatives, and strengthens the close ties between Xizang and the great family of our motherland. The meeting called for greater policy support for Xizang, continued implementation of the central government's policy of incremental institutional subsidies to Xizang, and the adjustment and improvement of the special fiscal system of "full revenue retention". After the meeting, 15 supportive policies focused on full revenue retention, incremental subsidies, border infrastructure, ecological compensation, and livelihood subsidies were elucidated. From 2020, Xizang has garnered a cumulative sum of 1,139.31 billion yuan from the central government budget. Central enterprises have intensified their involvement in advancing Xizang's economic and social development through pairing assistance initiatives, with an additional six enterprises joining the effort.

The Seventh National Meeting on Xizang in August 2020

The Party's Governance of Xizang in the New Era
"Ten Musts"

We must uphold CPC leadership, socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the system of regional ethnic autonomy;
We must uphold Xi Jinping's strategy on governing the frontiers and ensuring stability in Xizang;
We must focus on safeguarding national unification and strengthening ethnic unity in the work in Xizang;
We must govern Xizang in accordance with the law, bring prosperity to Xizang and its residents, unite the people in one heart, and lay a solid foundation for its long-term growth;
We must take into consideration both the domestic and the international situation;
We must focus on improving people's lives and strengthening unity in socioeconomic development;
We must facilitate ethnic exchanges, communication, and integration;
We must develop religions in a China-oriented context, and handle religious affairs in accordance with the law;
We must prioritize eco-environmental protection;
We must strengthen the Party, especially in its political convictions.

The relations for the ten-batch pairing assistance to Xizang

At present, 17 provinces (municipalities), 78 central departments, state ministries and commissions, and non-government organizations, and 27 central financial enterprises and significant state-owned enterprises are engaging in pairing assistance to support Xizang.

Central Subsidies to Xizang during National Meetings on Xizang

Unit: 100 million yuan

In 2011, 2014, 2022, and 2024, the CPC Central Committee also held four meetings on pairing assistance to Xizang, which established specific plans for national support to Xizang and outlined key objectives during different timeframes. As a result, these meetings have enhanced the relevance and effectiveness of assistance efforts, contributing significantly to the socialist modernization of Xizang.