XIANYANG, Shaanxi, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- President Hu Jintao has written to the Tibet Nationalities Institute (TNI) to celebrate its 50th founding anniversary, which was the first institution of higher learning for ethnic Tibetans set up by the Central Government outside Tibet Autonomous Region.

    Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, hailed the institute's "important contribution to the economic development and social progress" of Tibet, which has turned a great number of ethnic Tibetans into high-quality cadres and specialists.

    Hu expressed the hope that the TNI would continuously improve its managerial level in teaching, play a better role as the training base for Tibetan cadres, and make greater contributions to improving the life of people of different ethnic groups in Tibet and promoting stability and unity in the region.

    A ceremony was held on Sunday at the TNI in Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, northwest China. Raidi, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, who is an ethnic Tibetan and a former leader of Tibet Autonomous Region, attended the celebration.