Tibet Leads China In GDP Growth In 2024

Last week, China’s provinces released their economic performance data for the first three quarters of 2024. Preliminary calculations show that Tibet achieved a regional GDP of 250.5 billion yuan during this period. Calculated at comparable prices, Tibet’s GDP grew by 6.2 per cent year-on-year, once again ranking first in the nation for economic growth.

Notably, the per capita disposable income of all residents in Tibet has ranked first in China for eight consecutive years, and the first three quarters of this year were no exception. This figure reached $3,055, reflecting an 8.1 per cent increase year-on-year, 2.9 per cent above the national average. Specifically, urban residents in Tibet enjoyed a per capita disposable income of $6,000, up 6.5 per cent and 2 per cent higher than the national average. Meanwhile, rural residents in Tibet saw a per capita disposable income of $1,900, growing by 8.2 per cent, 1.6 per cent higher than the national average.

The main driver of this growth is Tibet’s impressive performance in online retail. In the first three quarters of this year, Tibet’s online retail sales reached $2.297 billion, up 75.4 per cent year-on-year, the highest growth rate in the country. Online retail sales of physical goods alone reached $1.93 billion, a 91.1 per cent increase, also ranking first nationwide. Jewellery tops the list of online purchases in Tibet, with growth in this category reaching 214.9 per cent in the first three quarters, far outpacing other categories. Most purchases were for everyday accessories, with diamonds making up the largest portion. Women’s clothing and other apparel items also grew rapidly, becoming key drivers of growth in online physical goods sales.

This growth is closely linked to Tibet’s unique cultural appeal and the maturation of its consumer market. As consumer aesthetics improve and spending habits shift, there is a greater demand for quality goods. Additionally, the rapid development of e-commerce platforms and continuous improvements in logistics have played a major role, with local e-commerce also expanding swiftly.

The significant growth of platforms such as Tmall and Douyin (China’s TikTok) demonstrates that livestreaming has become a popular shopping method in Tibet. Rural e-commerce in Tibet is also flourishing. Data shows that rural network consumers in Tibet spend the most on diamonds, wellness teas, and women’s clothing. Livestreaming e-commerce has also contributed to rapid growth in online sales of Tibetan agricultural products.

For example, at a recent celebration in Hangzhou marking the 30th anniversary of Zhejiang Province’s support for Tibet, Zhejiang’s internet influencers hosted a livestream event to promote agricultural products from Naqu, Tibet. Five prominent internet personalities were appointed as “promotion ambassadors” to aid in Tibet’s rural support initiatives. They partnered with local Tibetan livestreamers to sell products like yak meat, yellow mushrooms, and dairy items. This event not only achieved high sales but also provided valuable sales skills to the Tibetan livestreamers.

Viewers on livestream platforms can now watch agricultural product sales broadcasts from Qiongdacun, a remote village in Dazi District, Lhasa. In this village, local resident Dawa Ciren quickly picks ripe tomatoes, stacking them in front of the greenhouse for sale. Tsering Choedron and several young college students manage the livestream sales, stacking tomatoes and other vegetables on a makeshift table of foam boxes.

With a tea table, a computer, and an upturned bucket as a stool, Tsering Choedron has created her own livestream setup. Her assistant, Tenzin Yangchen, helps by holding the phone, answering questions, and arranging products. Thanks to these efforts, they now sell over 2,000 orders of cherry tomatoes per day, totalling over 3,000 kilograms. She says that fast logistics has also been crucial to their success.

Meanwhile, other western regions of China with significant ethnic minority populations, such as Xinjiang, Guizhou, and Gansu, also achieved growth rates above 5 per cent. This growth is largely due to the Chinese government’s emphasis on social stability, ethnic unity, prioritisation of ecological protection, and commitment to high-quality development.

(The author is a professor at the School of Public Administration, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and Deputy Director of the Pan-Himalaya Information and Communication Research Centre.)