"Law-based governance is the basic guarantee of the region's long-term stability," Yu said.
"Religious affairs should be managed according to law and problems should be addressed through legal means to maintain order in the practice of Tibetan Buddhism," he was quoted as saying.
Religion is an important aspect of the Tibetan civilization, and Yu's calls will help legalize the management of religion and protect people's normal religious beliefs and activities, said Pallbar Lhamo, a senior researcher of the Tibetan Academy of Social Sciences.
More importantly, managing religious affairs by law is an important transformation of method, said Pallbar Lhamo. "In the past, authorities managed religions by policy, now it is by law."
INCREASED INCOME, IMPROVED ARMY-PEOPLE RELATIONS
Yu said the Chinese central government will continue to give special support for the Himalayan territory's economic development and narrow its gap with other regions.
The government will create more jobs and increase the Tibetan people's income, and give them more access to better education, housing and health care. He also stressed environmental protection.
In the past 50 years Tibetan regional GDP has grown 68 times and local financial income has increased 564-fold, he was quoted as saying.
He asked authorities to strengthen ethnic solidarity, which he called a "lifeline" and enhance Chinese people's national identity.
Yu praised the People's Liberation Army, People's Armed Police Force and the judicial staff in Tibet as loyal guardians of the national security and all people in the region.
He asked them to always put the people's interests as top priority and improve relations with the people.
Yu also told them to accomplish their missions and contribute more to Tibet's stability and prosperity.
