The Tibet Autonomous Region is trying to boost trade and tourism as it submitted an application to set up duty free outlets on selected entry ports, Lhasa Customs revealed on Wednesday. 

Both Lhasa Customs and the regional government are collaborating to apply and obtain approval from the central government to establish duty free shops, according to Wang Wenxi, Lhasa Customs' chief.

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Tibet has been a trading point between China and South Asian nations. Its foreign trade even reached up to 76 billion yuan (11.7 billion US dollars) from 2011 to 2015, this is 60 percent greater compared with those earned by other bordering locations. 

However, Wang did not reveal which ports in particular these duty free outlets will be constructed. China Daily suggests that ports along the border of Nepal such as Jilong are likely candidates, given the fact that Nepal accounts a lion's share of Tibet's total foreign trade. 

In 2015, Tibet's trading with Nepal significantly plummeted to nearly 60 percent following the strong quake in April that destroyed all the ports and trading centers. However, six months after the tragedy, Jilong port was once again opened to public, while other ports are still undergoing some major renovation.

According to Hong Wei, head of the tourism promotion committee of the region, putting up duty free shops will surely push Tibet's status among the world's major tourist destinations. 

TagsTibet, Duty Free, Foreign trade, tourism, Trade