President Hu Jintao chaired a Politburo meeting yesterday to map out a plan for 'long-running stability' in Tibet .
Economic development would remain a key part of the strategy, state media reported, even though two years ago a similar approach failed to prevent deadly unrest.
In March 2008, protests broke out in Lhasa and spread to other Tibetan-populated areas amid complaints of religious suppression and income disparity. The unrest, which Beijing says claimed 19 lives, led to international criticism that the economy-centric policy was far from enough to make Tibetans happy and calls for greater religious freedom and respect for local culture.
At the meeting, state leaders pledged more investment and economic assistance to Tibet, Xinhua said. More talent and cadres would also be sent to the Himalayan region.
'[The leaders] agreed Tibet's development is important to the building of a well-off Chinese society, safeguarding national security, and the fundamental interests and long-term development of the Chinese nation,' Xinhua said.
Economic development and improving people's livelihood would be the core issues, it added.
The high-level meeting was held two days after an official in charge of the crackdown after the 2008 riots, Baima Chilin, was promoted to deputy party secretary of Tibet.