Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 15, 2003
Xinjiang's economy develops rapidly
The gross domestic product (GDP) of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was expected toincrease by 10 percent this year, said Ismayil Tiliwaldi, chairmanof the autonomous regional government, Monday.
The gross domestic product (GDP) of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was expected toincrease by 10 percent this year, said Ismayil Tiliwaldi, chairmanof the autonomous regional government, Monday.
Despite the impacts of SARS and natural disasters, Xinjiang hadoverfulfilled all targets set at the beginning of the year, said Ismayil.
Xinjiang's GDP would amount to 185 billion yuan (22.4 billion US dollars) this year, up 10.8 percent from last year, according to him. The growth rate of industry was 8.2 percent, agriculture 12.3 percent and the tertiary industry 10.3 percent.
This showed Xinjiang's economic development was speeding up, said the chairman.
According to Ismayil, the total volume of the region's import and export would reach 4.5 billion US dollars this year, with the export growth rate being 68.2 percent and import 65.5 percent.
Overseas enterprises had invested a total of 20 billion yuan (2.4 billion US dollars) in Xinjiang this year, 5.3 times the figure for last year.
People's living standards had been improved. According to Ismayil, the annual income of urban citizens would amount to 7,180yuan (868 US dollars), up 3.5 percent from 2002; while that for rural residents would exceed 2,000 yuan (242 US dollars), 180 yuan(21.8 US dollars) more than last year.
The region's investment in Science and technology, education, culture, health care and sports also increased.