2023-05-13
(TibetanReview.net, May13’23) – An India-border area in Tibet previously reported to be rich in precious metals like gold and silver as well as rare-earth minerals has been certified as the world’s largest black highland barley planting base, according to China’s official Xinhua news agency May 12.
Longzi (Tibetan: Lhuntse) County of Shannan (Lhokha) City has been confirmed as the world’s largest black highland barley planting base by the World Record Certification Agency (WRCA), the report said.
Longzi black highland barley is a unique highland barley variety in Longzi County, which grows at an altitude of 3,800 meters to 4,200 meters, the report added.
A part of this county is claimed by India, according to an economictimes.com report Jul 12, 2018.
In 2018, the Chinese government launched large-scale investments into mining precious metals like gold and silver from the region. This followed reports that rare-earth minerals valued at over $60 billion had also been found there.
Reports were stated to suggest that the gold rush had led to an unprecedented influx of people into this India-border region of Tibet.
This is perceived as China’s plan to claim the disputed border with India (Arunachal Pradesh) and to turn the region into “another South China Sea“, according to a South China Morning Post report Dec 30, 2019.
(Also see: https://www.tibetanreview.net/china-eyeing-south-china-sea-style-takeover-of-arunachal/)