Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao reporters invited to cover Tibet after Lhasa riot

Thirty-one reporters from 18 media organizations in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao traveled in Lhasa for coverage of Tibet on Tuesday.

The reporters, representing 15 organizations from Hong Kong, one from Macao and two from Taiwan, are the second batch of reporters invited to Tibet after the March 14 Lhasa riots.

They arrived here on Monday for a three-day visit to Lhasa and Shannan.

An official with the Tibet Autonomous Region government said this trip will provide open news coverage without any restriction.

Yang Liu, a reporter with the Hong Kong-based Oriental Daily, met with his friends Monday evening after arrival. Yang had visited Tibet six times and he said normal life in Lhasa has resumed.

Tuesday morning, reporters visited the Lugu residents community. Drakpa Yonten, director of the residents committee, said: "People live a peaceful life here now and they can worship Buddhas in monasteries," noting the Jokhang Monastery has already been opened.

The Lugu area used to be a slum, housing one third of the beggars in Lhasa. Nowadays, 85 percent of the residents are Tibetans and most run their own businesses.

Their average income of 5,700 yuan (826 U.S. dollars) last year was 1.7 times the Tibet average.

All residents have medical insurance and all minors can receive nine free years of compulsory education.

After the devastating earthquake on May 12, residents donated 45,000 yuan for the quake-hit regions, said Drakpa Yonten.

During the three-day visit, reporters will have extensive contact with officials, monks and common people, and they will be able to interview shop owners whose shops were damaged during the riot.

They will also visit Tibet University, companies engaged in handicraft art, and the Potala Palace and Norbu-Linkag.

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