Sustainable development is key to the Tibet autonomous region's future, said experts participating in a forum on Tibet's development co-hosted by the region's government and the State Council Information Office.

The forum, which ended on Wednesday, involved nearly 100 speakers from 36 countries.

All speakers agreed that environmental protection is central for Tibet's sustainable development and that industrial development, the backbone of the modern economy, should not be used as a scapegoat for negative influences on the environment. Instead, they said, what really counts for Tibet is how industries are planned and operated.