This aerial drone photo taken on April 1, 2025 shows the high-grade highway from Lhasa to Nyingchi in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

At more than 3,100 meters above sea level, the air in Doyu Lhoba ethnic township is thin. For decades, so were the opportunities. Nestled deep in the plateau of southeastern Xizang autonomous region, the township's development was constrained due to harsh natural conditions and weak public services. Muddy roads, water shortages and limited access to education and healthcare once made young people go away in search of greener horizons, leaving behind a community with narrow prospects for growth.

But today Doyu tells a different story. In recent years, the transformation of this high-altitude township has become a vivid example of how modernization can take shape even in cold and remote regions.

The most visible changes have come from the improvements in infrastructure. With the G219 national highway now passing through the area and all village roads paved, Doyu has shifted from geographic isolation to regional integration. At the same time, upgraded water systems now deliver clean tap water directly to household kitchens.

Better transport and improved connectivity have transformed the local economy. Family-run guesthouses have opened their doors while hornbill tea cultivation, blue peacock breeding and green nursery projects have taken root. Infrastructure has not merely improved conditions and made life convenient, but unlocked local potential, turning what was once a distant outpost into an active node in the local economy.

Public services have kept pace with these changes. The township primary school has expanded with new teaching buildings and dormitories, enabling more than 70 students to attend school close to home. The clinic has tripled in size and strengthened its medical team, allowing most common illnesses — once requiring long journeys — to be treated locally.

Housing conditions reflect this transition. Newly built two-story homes preserve traditional ethnic architectural features while incorporating modern designs. Bright interiors and modern appliances indicate a clear rise in living standards.

Industrial development and income growth have given this stability a solid foundation. Drawing on ecological resources and ethnic characteristics, the town has gradually developed a diversified income structure. By the end of 2025, per capita disposable income in Doyu reached 33,000 yuan ($4,755), an increase of 73.7 percent since 2020.

Doyu's experience shows that when industries are aligned with local conditions and comparative advantages, the returns become predictable and measurable. Development is then not an abstract slogan, but yields concrete benefits for the residents.

Beyond the economic prosperity, deeper changes are taking place in culture and identity. A local ethnic culture exhibition hall now systematically presents the origins, clothing and customs of the Lhoba people. A clothing cooperative brings traditional craftsmanship to the market. Festivals and New Era Civilization Practice Stations help younger generations understand and appreciate their cultural heritage in everyday life. By linking cultural preservation with real economic and social development, ethnic identity is no longer just symbolic, but a cohesive force that strengthens the community.

The combined effect of these efforts can be seen in demographic trends. With housing resettlement policies steadily advancing, the township's permanent population has grown from 616 five years ago to 1,479 today, an increase of nearly 140 percent. Population return has also led to greater participation in public affairs, from patrols to voluntary community work. When livelihoods are secure and living conditions are stable, settling down becomes a rational choice rather than a sacrifice. It reflects the dividends of people-centered development.

The township's experience offers lessons to the world. Many regions around the world, from the Andes in South America to mountainous areas in Africa, face similar challenges such as out-migration, weak infrastructure and high governance costs.

Doyu's experience suggests that sustainable rural modernization rests on coordination: modern infrastructure opens space for economic activity, education and healthcare secure basic expectations, industry generates stable income and culture reinforces belonging. The coordinated advance of these hard and soft factors forms a sustainable path of development.

Rural modernization is never just about higher economic indicators. It is a comprehensive project encompassing quality of life, social stability and long-term prospects. As Doyu has shown, when infrastructure lowers the cost of living, public services reduce worries about the future, industries deliver dignified returns to work and culture fosters a sense of belonging, highland communities are no longer places that passively endure hardship but become homes people are willing to commit to for the long term.

This people-centered approach, measured by improvements in everyday life, is offering a practical and persuasive Chinese example for modernization in high-altitude and cold regions.

The author is a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and head of Doyu Lhoba ethnic township in Xizang autonomous region. [Photo provided to China Daily]

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