Philippine Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Friday that he believes Tibet will see rapid social and economic development after the Qinghai-Tibet railway opens.

"The construction of the environmentally-friendly railway is a great achievement for China, which will promote greater development of Tibet," Drilon said during his visit to Lhasa.

The 1,142-kilometer-long Qinghai-Tibet railway, which runs across the frozen tundras of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and links Golmud of Qinghai with Lhasa, is the first railway connecting the Tibet Autonomous Region with other parts of China. It will begin trial operation in July.

"The special religious atmosphere has also left a deep impression on me," Drilon said, adding that he saw with his own eyes that local people have the freedom to go to temples to worship.

Drilon also said that the railway will boost tourism in Tibet, whose history, culture and religious atmosphere will attract more and more people.

Drilon, with 14 other members of Philippine Senate, arrived in the autonomous region's capital on Wednesday. The delegation visited the famous Potala Palace, Norbu Lingka and Jokhang Temple during their stay in Lhasa.

Source: Xinhua