The Xizang Autonomous Region fully guarantees the freedom of religious belief and religious activities are carried out in an orderly manner, said a white paper issued on Friday by China's State Council Information Office.

The region today hosts over 1,700 sites for Tibetan Buddhism activities with approximately 46,000 Buddhist monks and nuns, four mosques with about 12,000 native Muslims, and one Catholic church with over 700 believers, said the white paper titled "CPC Policies on the Governance of Xizang in the New Era: Approach and Achievements."

Over 1,700 religious and folk activities, including the Shoton Festival, Butter Lamp Festival, Saga Dawa Festival and the walks around lakes and mountains, help to preserve the solemn traditional rituals and demonstrate new vitality with modern cultural elements, it said.