The average life expectancy in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region hit 71.1 in 2020, said Qizhala, chairman of the regional government.

The key health indicators of maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate both fell close to 50 percent from 2015, dropping to 50 per 100,000 and eight per 1,000, respectively, Qizhala said in his government work report delivered Wednesday at the fourth session of the 11th People's Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region.

Before democratic reform in 1959, the average life expectancy in Tibet was just 35.5 years.