LANZHOU - The Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gannan in Northwest China's Gansu province has become a magnet for investment due to its unique cultural appeal.

At the ongoing China Lanzhou Investment and Trade Fair, the prefectural government signed 43 deals with overseas and domestic companies worth a combined total of 5.52 billion yuan ($894 million dollars), hitting a record high.

The investment projects are focused in the areas of tourism, animal husbandry, urban infrastructure construction and clean energy.

"We will carefully protect our ecology and Tibetan culture while developing economy, as they are our trademarks," said Mao Shengwu, head of the prefecture.

Gannan borders Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan provinces. The majority of the 700,000 people living in the prefecture are Tibetans.

To better facilitate economic development in Gannan, the provincial government of Gansu is planning to build railways linking the provincial capital of Lanzhou with the prefecture.

Construction on an airport in Gannan will be completed in August and expressways will be ready in 2014.