The Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China plans to reduce the number of illiterate people by 100,000 annually to help boost local economy, said a senior Tibet official here Saturday.

Guo Jinlong, secretary of the Tibet regional committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), made the remark while meeting with Arthur Holcombe, chairman of Tibet Poverty Alleviation Fund (TPAF).

Statistics show that 30 percent of local population are illiterate. Lhasa City, the capital of Tibet, reports the lowest illiteracy rate of 10 percent.

Guo said international institutions are welcomed to Tibet to help with local anti-illiteracy efforts and provide education.

At present, local governments are trying to provide more education to local residents by further popularizing the nine-year basic education program and launching special "illiteracy- eradicating" courses in rural areas.

Guo praised TPAF for its contribution to poverty alleviation in Tibet.

TPAF is a non-governmental organization cooperating with local Tibetan communities to implement programs in terms of small loans, vocational training, entrepreneurship development and women and children health.

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