Did you know that the airport of Daocheng is finally running. A little bit than the Chinese expected (supposed to happen in May), after the first test flight of about a year ago.
Garzi is located in the remote region of Sichuan, at 4,411 meters above sea level. The new airport costs 1.58 billion Yuan (193 million euro), designed to accommodate 280,000 passengers a year and to convey the tourism sector to Yading, the nearby nature reserve. In recent years, China has invested several billion to modernize the old airports and build new ones, especially in the remote western regions of the country.
Improving the communications in Tibet then, is unfortunately as we well known a crucial task for the Chinese government. That land is a source of pride to be conquered in the shortest time, for tourism and for domestic policy.
In Tibet airports have in fact also a military target, because they allow a rapid deployment of soldiers in the event of riots and tensions with the local population. The same Garzi in the last three years has been the scene of dozens of self-immolation to protest against the Chinese government in the past three years.
By Alba V
Photos: PerkyBeans, @SweetRiver , Grete Howard
