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Vice Premier on Development of Western RegionVice Premier Wu Bangguo said China's northwestern areas can play a big role in implementing the central government's strategy to develop the economically backward western region of the world's most populous nation.Wu made the remark while visiting Shaanxi, Qinghai, and Gansu provinces and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in the northwest from March 19-28. During his tour, the vice premier inspected 11 enterprises and talked with local officials on a number of key issues including economic reform, unity among people of different ethnic groups, and social stability. The strategy of developing the western region on a large scale is a great decision made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Jiang Zemin at the core, with overall consideration of the entire situation facing the new century, Wu said, noting that it is a strategic plan for realizing the third phase of the country's modernization drive and is of great economic and political significance. China's western region has laid a sound foundation for further development over the past five decades, especially the past two decades of reform and opening, the official said. The Party Central Committee's decision has been made at the proper time and is in accordance with the reality, he added. Wu, who is also a member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, urged the northwestern areas to unify their thinking and action with the decision and arrangement of the central leadership, and fully recognize and tightly grasp this rare historic opportunity. While increasing the sense of urgency and mission, the western region should also be clear about its development gap with other parts of the country caused by historic factors, Wu said. It calls for the efforts of several generations to bring about complete changes in the western region, he said. The western region should recognize the reality, make overall plans, work in accordance with the local situation, utilize local advantages, give priority to practical results, and try hard to take the road of large-scale development with local characteristics and in line with the requirements of a socialist market economy, according to the vice premier. Wu called on local people to push forward the large-scale development of the western region strictly in accordance with the unified plan of the Party Central Committee, make substantial efforts, further broaden their sight, and aim at a higher level. At present and in the coming few years, the western region should make greater efforts to develop infrastructure and strengthen environmental protection in order to lay a solid foundation for large-scale development, the official said. He warned local officials against setting up overlapping projects and developing at a low level. New projects should only be built after acquiring a clear understanding of market demands and with priority mainly attached to improving economic quality and efficiency, so as to bring the entire economy to a higher level. The western region should try harder to readjust its industrial structure, upgrade local industries, introduce advanced technology, and develop hi-tech sectors on a selective basis, he noted. The living standards of local people should be improved substantially through the large-scale development of the western region, so that they can really understand the correctness of the Party Central Committee's decision and the advantages of the socialist system, the vice premier said. He cautioned local officials to carefully guide, protect, and display the enthusiasm of all circles to ensure the healthy development of the west. Speaking of the funds and personnel that are badly needed by the region to speed up local development, Wu pledged that the central government will increase its investment and adopt favorable policies and measures, while the developed eastern areas of the country will also assist the west in various ways. However, he said, the development of the western region fundamentally rests with the local people through self-reliance and hard work to build a sound environment for investment and to increase their ability to attract funds and professionals from other parts of the country and the rest of the world. The official urged local people to further emancipate their thinking, renovate their ideology, accelerate the pace of reform and opening, and strengthen the fields of science, technology and education. Wu said he pinned his hopes on local state-owned enterprises in implementing the strategy and said that these firms should play a leading and driving role in boosting local development. But the official emphasized that whatever the western region does will depend on a stable social environment. He urged local Party committees and governments at different levels to give top priority to social stability, understand correctly the relations between reform, development and stability, well handle various kinds of contradictions and problems, and be sure of maintaining social stability.
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