The struggle against separatism and the solidarity of the people are the premise of a prosperous Tibet, said Raidi, executive deputy secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China.

    He made the remark on Sunday when meeting a group of reporters from Hong Kong.

    Among the difficulties the region faces on its development path are disruptive activities carried out by the Dalai Lama clique, which are considered the most challenging, he said.

    During the past four decades, the Dalai Lama, disguised as a religious figure, has spared no efforts in trying to separate the region from the motherland.

    But Raidi said the region has the confidence to overcome the difficulties and achieve a steady progress in both economic and social fields.

    Last year Tibet's gross domestic product (GDP) hit 11.74 billion yuan (US$1.42 billion), up 10.7 per cent year on year.

    He reiterated that since the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, a great leap forward has been made in almost all aspects of the region.

    "I am an eyewitness to all the historic changes in the past half century," said the official, who was a serf before 1951.

    Raidi said that the central government has decided to invest about 70 billion yuan (US$8.5 billion) in Tibet in five years to promote development in Tibet.

    Through 2005, farmers and herdsmen in Tibet will gain an average annual net income of over 2,000 yuan (US$242), and most people in the region will be living a comfortable life, he said.

    The reporters were mainly from Ta Kung Pao, Wen Wei Po, Ming Pao Daily news, Radio Television Hong Kong and other Hong Kong media.

    China Daily