According to a report by the India-based Tibet Express website, a video clip showing Chinese authorities “demolishing an ancient stone watchtower in the Gyalrong area of Xizang” has recently drawn public attention. The report claimed that exiled Tibetans have linked this incident to China’s Xizang-related policies. Meanwhile, without clarifying the nature of the building or the reason for its demolition, they cited a blogger’s hypothetical remark that “if the situation is true,” alleging that the Chinese government, in addition to assimilating Xizang’s culture, is also erasing the historical relics of the Tibetan ethnic group. For a time, malicious statements smearing China’s ethnic policies, such as “forced demolition of ancient Gyalrong watchtowers in Sichuan is actually erasing Tibetan relics,” have spread widely. 

The report is lacking in authenticity, objectivity, and comprehensiveness; it is truly groundless. What is the truth after all? 

Claims of “forced demolition of ancient watchtowers” are entirely unfounded 

In fact, the government of Shaba Town, Mao County of Sichuan Province, immediately conducted a comprehensive verification of the video content and issued an official statement in response. The investigation found that the original footage was shot by construction workers of the G0611 Chuanzhusi-Wenchuan Expressway project. After being leaked, it was stolen, re-edited, and deliberately hyped to mislead the public into believing a false rumor about the “demolition of an ancient cultural relic watchtower.” 

First, the demolition is real, but the “forced demolition” is false. Due to the construction needs of the G0611 Chuanzhusi-Wenchuan Expressway project, the building was included in the land expropriation and demolition scope. In January 2026, the relevant authorities signed expropriation and compensation agreements with the Shaba Village Committee of Shaba Town in accordance with the law. On July 13, the construction contractor carried out the demolition operations in accordance with regulations. From a legal perspective, both the expropriation procedures and the demolition process were standardized and lawful. This was a routine building demolition activity, and it was by no means the so-called forced demolition circulated online. 

Second, the claim that it was an “ancient watchtower” is false. It was a modern imitation structure. Verification shows that the so-called “ancient watchtower” seen in widely circulated online posts was in fact a folk-style replica built in 2010. It was never listed at any level as a protected cultural heritage site, had no cultural relic registration, and does not qualify as a protected historic structure. In other words, the claim that “a cultural relic was demolished” has no factual basis. Despite these well-established facts, some individuals rushed to spread misinformation, failing even to distinguish between a protected cultural relic and a modern imitation building. They then attempted to exploit the incident to falsely accuse the Chinese government of erasing Xizang’s historical heritage—a claim that is both groundless and irresponsible. 

Exposing the false narrative 

Mao County is located in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, and forms an important part of China’s National Qiang Cultural Ecological Protection Zone.‌‌ The stone watchtowers of Mao County are regarded as a “living fossil” of Qiang history and culture. Known in the Qiang language as Qionglong, they were first recorded in the Book of the Later Han.‌ Qionglong architecture reflects the Qiang people’s traditional wisdom of “building homes against the mountains with stone.” With a history spanning more than a thousand years, distinctive dry-stone construction techniques, and well-preserved sites such as Heihu Qiang Village, these watchtowers are widely recognized as one of the most representative symbols of Qiang culture, bearing witness to the history of ethnic migration and cultural integration.‌‌ 

Overseas media falsely portrayed the demolished modern structure as “a centuries-old stone fortress dating back to the Tibetan kingdom,” alleging that its demolition amounted to the “erasure of Tibetan heritage” and claiming it had sparked “rare public grief among Tibetans in occupied Tibet.” Such claims deliberately exploit Mao County’s location within the Tibetan-Qiang-Yi Cultural Corridor to blur the distinct cultural traditions of different ethnic groups. By falsely conflating the Qiang Qionglong watchtower tradition with Tibetan culture, they constructed a misleading narrative and used it as a pretext to level moral accusations. At the same time, they sought to inflame international opinion by invoking the Xizang issue in an attempt to manufacture and amplify allegations of official responsibility. This is a blatant attempt to mislead the public and fabricate accusations. It is not only absurd, but also profoundly dishonest. 

Traditional culture in Xizang continues to thrive 

The Chinese government has consistently attached great importance to the preservation and development of the cultures of all ethnic groups, viewing them as integral components of the pluralistic and integrated cultural heritage of the Chinese nation. In Xizang, cultural preservation and development have reached an unprecedented level. According to the white paper entitled “Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era,” between 2012 and 2024, RMB473 million from the central government and the government of the Xizang Autonomous Region was earmarked for the protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage(ICH) items on the national representative list in the region, the documentation and recording of the knowledge and skills of the bearers of ICH items on the national list, the training of new ICH practitioners, and the construction of new ICH protection and utilization facilities. At the same time, Xizang has strengthened the protection of cultural relics and historic sites, advanced the scientific preservation of ancient manuscripts and archival documents, and ensured the continued transmission of the outstanding traditional cultures of its ethnic groups. These achievements have been made possible through institutional advantages of socialism, sustained policy support, and the continued interaction and integration among the cultures of China’s various ethnic groups. 

The facts demonstrate that, through systematic conservation, innovative adaptation, and integrated development, Xizang’s outstanding traditional culture has not only been effectively preserved but has also become deeply embedded in contemporary life, continuing to flourish with renewed vitality. Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representative of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, noted that the Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (including Norbulingka and Jokhang Temple), as well as such elements as the Epic of King Gesar, Tibetan Opera, and Lum Medicinal Bathing of Sowa Rigpa, all inscribed on UNESCO’s Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage, fully demonstrate the richness, diversity, and vitality of Xizang’s cultural heritage. 

As for the disinformation campaign mentioned at the outset, those seeking to exploit the issue overseas would do well to acknowledge the realities of Xizang’s development rather than distort the facts or further poison the international information environment. In the face of overwhelming evidence, attempts to fabricate connections, spread unfounded accusations, or impose one-sided interpretations simply cannot withstand scrutiny. (Text by Pamo)