View of Medog county, SW China’s Tibet

Aerial photo taken on April 8, 2019 shows a view of Metog county, Nyingchi city of Southwest China’s Tibet autonomous region. Metog, meaning “Secret Lotus” in the Tibetan language, is located in Nyingchi of Southeast Tibet. Being on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River and the south of the Himalayas, Metog county boasts of amazing natural landscapes due to its unique geographical position. Before the traffic opened, people could not arrive in Metog except for walking. Getting in and out of Metog was a dangerous journey. Frequent natural disasters such as avalanches, landslides, and mudslides blocked visitors from the outside world. The construction of roads to Metog is a tough task because of the complicated geological conditions and disastrous weather. With several attempts thwarted in the last decades, a 117-kilometer highway connecting Metog with neighboring Bomi county finally opened on Oct 31, 2013. The completion of the Metog highway not only promoted the communication between Metog and the outside world, but also benefited the poverty relief of border ethnic minorities. Crude stilted houses have been replaced with modern houses consisting of complete facilities. Commodity prices have been lowered to a level similar with the outside world. The local economy especially tourism develops fast in recent years, unfolding to the world a new Metog with its mysterious beauty. [Photo/Xinhua]