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China approves "modern redesign" of Lhasa
17. Mar 2009
(Reuters) Beijing has approved a "modern redesign" of Tibet's capital Lhasa,
state media said. By 2020, Lhasa will become an "economically prosperous,
socially harmonious, and eco-friendly modern city with vivid cultural
characteristics and deep ethnic traditions", according to a document carried on
the central government's website (www.gov.cn). The official China Daily said the
plan would make Lhasa "a coordinated and distinctive modern metropolis by 2020".
Lhasa's downtown population would be capped at 450,000 - the city only has
500,000 residents in total today - and just 75 sq km of land would be allowed to
be used for urban development. The urban makeover plan said local authorities
should "pay great attention to protecting the historic, cultural and aesthetic
characteristics" of Lhasa." That includes controlling the number, height and
even colour of buildings. Pay attention to the legal preservation of sites of
necessary religious activities [and] satisfy the needs of the religious lives of
believers".