Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CHENGDU91
2007-04-06 08:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Chengdu
Cable title:  

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESETTLED

Tags:  ECON PHUM PGOV CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6955
RR RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHCN #0091/01 0960828
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 060828Z APR 07
FM AMCONSUL CHENGDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2433
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 2950
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHENGDU 000091 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/CM, DRL, AND G/STC
BANGKOK FOR USAID/MSTIEVATER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/6/2027
TAGS: ECON PHUM PGOV CH
SUBJECT: VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESETTLED
TIBETAN NOMADS

REF: A) CHENGDU 83 B) 06 CHENGDU 1011 C) 06 CHENGDU 969 D) 05 CHENGDU 322

CHENGDU 00000091 001.2 OF 003


CLASSIFIED BY: Kathryn Pongonis, Acting Consul General, United
States Consulate, Chengdu.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHENGDU 000091

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/CM, DRL, AND G/STC
BANGKOK FOR USAID/MSTIEVATER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/6/2027
TAGS: ECON PHUM PGOV CH
SUBJECT: VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESETTLED
TIBETAN NOMADS

REF: A) CHENGDU 83 B) 06 CHENGDU 1011 C) 06 CHENGDU 969 D) 05 CHENGDU 322

CHENGDU 00000091 001.2 OF 003


CLASSIFIED BY: Kathryn Pongonis, Acting Consul General, United
States Consulate, Chengdu.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) Summary: In the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR),local
Poverty Alleviation, Animal Husbandry and Labor Bureaus are
responsible for carrying out the job skills and vocational
training programs that complement nomadic and pastoral
resettlement policies. Officials acknowledge that changing
rural people's thinking is essential due to new employment
opportunities as well as competition since the opening of the
Qinghai-TAR Railroad. They lament that even though new
employment options are available, some Tibetans are unwilling to
engage in those jobs. It is clear that it will take time for
resettled Tibetans to adapt to what for many is a completely
foreign work environment, and that they will continue to face
competition due to migration of workers from inland China. End
Summary.


2. (U) During a March reporting trip to the TAR, CG, Beijing
POLMINCOUNS, and Chengdu CONGENOFF met with officials from the
Naqu Prefecture Animal Husbandry and Labor and Social Security
Bureaus, and TAR Poverty Alleviation and Animal Husbandry
Bureaus, the principal offices tasked with carrying out nomadic
and pastoral resettlement policies. One of the principal
aspects of these policies is provision of job skills and
vocational training for newly settled Tibetan populations. The
Labor Bureau focuses principally on urban populations and the
PAO and Animal Husbandry Bureau primarily dedicate resources to
rural residents.


3. (C) In Naqu Prefecture, the TAR's largest nomadic area,
Jique (one name only),the Deputy Director of the Labor and
Social Security Bureau said his office has provided training to
over 3,000 people. He stated that approximately 72 percent of
trainees get jobs. In 2006, 3,100 people in Naqu became
unemployed and were trained by the Bureau. Two thousand of

those individuals were later re-employed. Jique said
construction skills, woodworking and electronics are the most
popular courses, but that there are no training classes on
tourism or mining. When queried by Congenoff about typical
wages trainees could hope to earn, Jique responded that the
bureau is not particularly concerned about how much money
residents can make, but rather that they acquire skills to allow
them to build their own houses and assist friends in building
their homes. Beijing POLMINCOUNS asked about competition for
construction jobs between these Tibetans and Han Chinese who
come from inland China to look for jobs in the TAR. Jique said
it is still very difficult for Tibetans to compete against more
experienced Han for such job opportunities.


4. (SBU) TAR PAO Director Wang Jian said his bureau provides
free training to assist rural youngsters in gaining employment.
Cosmetology, hotel service, construction, woodworking, driving,
traditional Tibetan tangka painting, security, and weaving are
some of the courses offered. In addition, as part of the
bureau's mission to carry out comprehensive agricultural
development, Wang said that his staff empower people to manage
their land, for example, by providing professional training on
planting trees and building greenhouses.


5. (SBU) International non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
complement government efforts to provide skills training in the
TAR. The Bridge Fund (TBF) and the Tibet Poverty Alleviation
Fund (TPAF),which receive funding from the United States Agency
for International Development, both have skills training
programs in the areas of public health care and Tibetan
medicine, motorcycle repair, woodworking, and hotel/restaurant
service. Representatives of TPAF report that a number of
graduates of their motorcycle repair courses have returned to
their home communities and started successful businesses. TPAF
partners with the TAR PAO and TAR Academy of Animal and
Agricultural Science. During Consulate's visit, Director Wang
of the TAR PAO praised the NGO's work in this area and said the
government had a lot to learn from working closely with TPAF.
Wang proudly displayed several Tibetan-language skills training
manuals that were published as a part of this collaboration.

Response to New Employment Competition
--------------

6. (C) The TAR Animal Husbandry Bureau Vice Director, Tsutrim
(one name only) said changing rural people's thinking is
important because of new employment competition since the
opening of the Qinghai-TAR Railroad (Ref. A). He echoed a
statement from another official that there is stiff job

CHENGDU 00000091 002.2 OF 003


competition with people from inland China. Tsutrim opined that
the government should not practice local protectionism, and that
he hoped job pressure would improve local people's sense of
competitiveness. In order to work toward this goal, the Animal
Husbandry Bureau 1) offers technical training for farmers so
that they can begin nonagricultural work, 2) organizes "labor
export" to other areas of the region, 3) organizes rural
construction teams, and 4) supports "industry-leading" poverty
alleviation work by providing training in the first, second and
third industries.


7. (C) Beijing POLMINCOUNS queried Tsutrim about the railroad's
effect on prices of goods and services in the TAR. Tsutrim said
prices for produce and foodstuffs have increased slightly
because of increased demand, but noted that the railway has also
brought new employment opportunities due to increased
consumption. He claimed there had been a 17.2 percent increase
in farmers' income since the opening of the line. Tsutrim also
added that the government controls the prices of goods so they
have not risen too much.


8. (C) In a separate conversation, Wang from the TAR PAO said
government agencies involved in poverty alleviation all hope
local people will take advantage of new employment
opportunities, but asserted they are not always interested. For
example, he stated that local Tibetan people don't want to wash
other people's hair even though hairdressers can earn 1000 RMB
(USD 129) per month. Therefore, these types of jobs tend to be
filled by outsiders even though Tibetans are receiving the
requisite skills training (Ref. B). In addition, Wang asserted
local people's production capacity is too low. Yogurt is a
popular product and is widely produced and consumed in the
region; however, local supply cannot keep up with demand, so
"the only solution" is to import the product from inland China.
Wang concluded by saying that while he had not heard of any
local enterprises going bankrupt, he was sure they would
continue face big challenges in light of the new competition.


9. (C) Wang expressed similar views about competition in the
construction sector when Congenoff remarked on the strong
presence of inland Han Chinese laborers in the Sister Lakes
Special Administrative District (Tibetan: Tsonyi, Chinese:
Shuanghu) in remote Naqu Prefecture. During a 2006 reporting
trip to the district, Congenoff interviewed workers from Sichuan
and Gansu earning 80-150 RMB (USD 10-19) per day. Wang
responded that it was a "free market," and that "we can't force
Tibetans into that business. The only solution is to let other
people fill those jobs." He commented that he is not worried
about Han Chinese diluting the Tibetan population in Shuanghu
because it is very tough environment where Han will not stay for
long. Wang added that local people would rather raise yaks
than earn 30 RMB (USD 3.90) per day running a small shop in a
remote area. "We want to help these local people and train
them, but the result is very disappointing. It is very hard to
convince them to work in an urban area."

New Economic Opportunities
--------------

10. (SBU) Dozha (one name only),Director of the Naqu Animal
Husbandry Bureau said his office works to create new economic
opportunities for resettled nomads. In 2006, 383 million RMB
(USD 4.9 million) in central level funding was allocated to
resettle 7,340 households in the prefecture. As a largely
nomadic prefecture, the GDP from animal husbandry was 717
million RMB (USD 9.2 million) in 2006 and the rural per capita
income was 2,489 RMB (USD 321). State-owned enterprises are
shifting their aid from urban to rural areas and specifically to
nomadic areas as a part of the great Western Development
Initiative. Dozha reported that recently Naqu has submitted
proposals to central authorities to develop the cashmere
industry in Nima, Bange, Shuanghu, Amdo and Shenzha counties.
The Animal Husbandry Bureau is also closely involved in the
management of caterpillar fungus collection which has become a
competitive industry because the price has risen to 40,000 RMB
(USD 5,161) per pound in the last year.


11. (U) Wang of the TAR PAO stated that the goal of the "Urban
and Rural Township Poverty Alleviation Program" is to improve
public participation in decision making about spending which has
potential to increase economic benefits to communities. As part
of the program, each township was allocated 3 million RMB (USD
387,000). Wang said most communities opted to build roads and
bridges. Another PAO program is "Industry Leading Poverty
Alleviation" which has a goal of helping villagers switch to
higher income-producing crops and animals. In the
non-agricultural sector, the program seeks to achieve efficiency
improvements in service industries, tourism and handicraft
production.

CHENGDU 00000091 003.2 OF 003



Social Conflicts
--------------

12. (C) When asked whether there had been any increases in the
crime rate as a result of economic pressures on resettled
Tibetans, Dozha of the Naqu Animal Husbandry responded
negatively. With regard to social conflicts in the collection
of caterpillar fungus that have occurred in Tibetan areas
outside of the TAR (Ref. D),TAR Animal Husbandry Bureau
Director Tsutrim said that potential conflicts would be
regulated by a "Management Procedure" which requires every
collector to apply for a license in order for the industry to
develop sustainably.

Comment
--------------

13. (C) While government bureaus and NGOs have programs in
place to provide training in a variety of marketable skill
areas, it is clear that it will take time for resettled Tibetans
to adapt to what for many is a completely foreign work
environment (REF B). Competition from inland Chinese workers
will only continue to increase as tourism, mining and other
industries grow in the TAR.
BOUGHNER