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Come Christmas Day, Tibet’s capital will see its first flight to Singapore take off from Lhasa Gonggar International Airport in a move the Chinese government says is aimed at boosting tourism, economic growth and fostering cultural exchanges.
This is the second international flight to be launched from Lhasa. In December last year, China allowed Nepal’s Himalaya Airlines to resume international flights linking Lhasa with Kathmandu.
West Air, a unit of China’s state-owned HNA Aviation Group, will operate three round-trip flights per week that connect the Tibetan plateau with the Southeast Asian island nation via a transit stop at the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing, the company said in a statement.
Additional international routes from Lhasa to Hong Kong and other destinations are also expected to be launched early next year, according to the regional civil aviation administration office of the Tibet Autonomous Region, or TAR.
The opening of international air routes will enhance Tibet’s “international visibility, attracting more domestic and foreign tourists to explore the region, and it will also further expand the regional tourism market,” said Wang Yueyue of the TAR’s Culture and Tourism Department.
Southeast Asia influence
Analysts believe the move to add a flight to Singapore — one of the most supportive partners in China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative — is in line with Beijing’s efforts to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian nations and exude more influence in the region.
The initiative is a Chinese development strategy to improve trade, infrastructure, investment links and regional integration between Asia, Africa and Europe.
“As a major economy in the region, Singapore offers China significant economic leverage and connectivity advantages, which can help solidify Beijing’s influence across Southeast Asia,” Sana Hashmi, a postdoctoral fellow at at the Taipei-based Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation, told Radio Free Asia.
In a statement, West Air said the new route will serve as a bridge linking western China and the ASEAN region, creating an “air corridor” for the development of a new land-sea corridor in the west.
“Looking ahead, West Air will expand its investments in ‘Belt and Road’ countries and open additional routes to meet growing passenger demand while supporting national strategies and regional development,” the company added.
Chinese government officials have repeatedly emphasized the importance of Tibet to China’s Belt and Road initiative, citing Tibet’s geographical advantages and serving as a ‘gateway to South Asia.’
Foreign Minister Wang Yi in 2021 also made promises to support Tibet’s opening-up and deepen its cooperation with neighboring countries to jointly contribute to Belt and Road projects.
Tibet travel challenges
But international tourists going to Lhasa must still obtain special Tibet travel permits, in addition to a Chinese visa — and other permits if going elsewhere in the TAR.
“While additional flight connectivity is useful, it does not address the essential issue about traveling to and from Tibet which is government scrutiny and travel permits,” said Manoj Kewalramani, a fellow in China studies at Bengaluru, India-based Takshishila Institution.
China and Singapore implemented a visa-free entry policy, with up to 30 days of stay allowed for their citizens traveling for family, tourism or business purposes.
But to enter Tibet, they must possess a Tibet travel permit, which tour operators obtain by submitting applications on their behalf.
Foreign tourists must also stick with group tours. Independent travel in Tibet is prohibited.
For travel outside Lhasa city to other parts of the TAR such as Shigatse or Shannan, visitors are required to apply for an additional permit referred to as the Aliens’ Travel Permit, issued by the Public Security Bureau.
For travel to border areas or sensitive military zones such as Mount Kailash or Lake Manasoravor in Ngari region, visitors require a Military Area Entry Permit and a Foreign Affairs Permit, issued by the respective offices in Lhasa.
Travel to other sensitive areas requires an additional permit from the local cultural antiquities department.
Edited by Tenzin Pema for RFA Tibetan, and by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.