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CNN World Report

Internet Changes Tibetan Locals

Aired July 22, 2001 - 14:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SHIHAB RATTANSI, CNN ANCHOR: Influence of the Internet has changed Tibet, China's occupation of the mountainous plateau began more than 50 years ago, and the region did not open up to international tourists until 1984, but now with the introduction of the Internet, the Tibetans' typical life-style is not the same. China Central Television has this perspective from Lhasa.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LIU CHANGYING, CCTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For Boiling Point Internet Cafe, business is best from 8 to 10:00 in the evening. You pay 5 yen an hour to surf the Net. This 25-year-old is the technician and manager of the cafe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Business is okay, but we are still have lots of pressure, there are too many Internet companies, now, the competition is fierce we can only attract customers with the faster net speed.

CHANGYING: The Ten Computer Cafe (ph) is like a small United Nations, receiving customers from around the world. They say that the visitors are mostly from the United States and Western Europe.

But there are also people from African countries such as Angola. He added that gradually, local customers are also starting to come here. One special local customer is this man from the temple. He said he likes using the computer very much and comes to the Boiling Point Cafe every two days to learn how to use it.

PEMANAMGYAL LAMA, CUSTOMER (through translator): The world is very big, and now with the computer, the world has become small. With the computer people can chat with each other in real time and understand each other in a same language. I'm using the computer and am very happy.

CHANGYING: The same language he refers to is English; apart from learning how to use the computer, he is also attending evening English classes.

Liu Changying for China Central Television for the CNN WORLD REPORT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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