China announced on December 1 that it had finished relocating Tibetans from one of the highest villages in Tibet to a lower-altitude settlement. The move has faced criticism from independent sources, condemning it as coercive and detrimental to the traditional lifestyle of Tibetans adapted to their centuries-old habitat.

A total of 143 villagers from 37 households in Jigkyob village, situated at 4,900 meters above sea level in Lhaze county, Xizang autonomous region, were relocated to a lower-altitude settlement this week. The project, initiated in 2016, started with the relocation of the village's 65 most impoverished households. The new settlement is positioned at 4,012 meters above sea level.

Jigkyob residents primarily rely on animal husbandry and migrant work. Challenges such as a fragile environment, insufficient infrastructure, and extreme weather were cited as reasons for the relocation project by Kelsang Gyatso, the Party secretary of Jigkyob village.

The project received support and funding from Aid-Tibet cadres from Shanghai, raising concerns about the forced relocation and the impact on local residents. Chinese projects in Tibet often involve the employment of mainland Chinese workers, which can disadvantage the local population.

Gong Airu, head of Shanghai's working group on the pairing campaign in Lhaze, mentioned the conclusion of the initial stage of the residential project after over a year of hard work. The exact number of villagers relocated and the name of their new settlement were not disclosed in the report.