A senior official disclosed on December 25 that among every 10,000 Chinese of working age in west China, only 92 of them have received junior middle school education or technical education, less than 10 percent compared with the eastern region of the country.

Song Defu, minister of personnel, said that the shortage of talented people is now an urgent problem to be solved for the economic takeoff of the underdeveloped western region, which is sparsely populated but rich in natural resources.

In order to facilitate the implementation of the central government's strategy to prosper the vast western region, the Ministry of Personnel is outlining a "program for developing human resources in west China".

Song made the remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of a three-day national conference, attended by heads of provincial- level personnel departments across China.

According to him, the first batch of 216 ethnic minority technicians from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China is currently receiving training courses offered by the ministry as part of its talent training program.

Song said his ministry is raising necessary funds for the training of the second batch of technicians, who may come from more areas in west China.

Besides, the ministry is planning to organize groups of Chinese studying abroad to tour the western region to seek opportunities for future cooperation. To date, tours for two groups of Chinese experts living in the United Stated and Japan respectively have been arranged.

The ministry also plans to organize four batches of personnel officials from west China to go abroad to learn foreign experience next year. Preferential policies will be in place to attract more talent from the developed eastern part of the country to work in the west.

A ministry source said that the ministry will call a working conference on talent for west China "at an appropriate time next year."