On the occasion of the golden jubilee of the peaceful liberation of China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibet's Ngari formally opened the optical cable on July 15, marking an end to the history of China's last region with no optical cable, according to peopledaily.com.cn.

    The project, from Tibet's Xigaze to Ngari, started construction at the beginning of 1999. With total investments of 178 million yuan, the 1480.4-km 8-cores optical cable, when completed, will add altogether 7,560 long-distance circuits for such communication services as telephone, data, and image.

    At present, per 100 persons can share 4.7 telephones in Tibet, 24.7 times that of 1978. The opening of the optical cable in Ngari makes optical cables available in altogether 55 counties of seven prefectures in Tibet, with a total length of 6557.4 km. This project will not only fundamentally change the communication situation but will also greatly promote the social and economic development and lasting peace and security in this region.