Western China Reports Fast Economic GrowthWestern China has witnessed rapid economic development in the first four months of this year thanks to the implementation of the strategy for developing the vast western region.Statistics show that during the January-April period, six of the ten provinces, a municipality and autonomous regions including Guizhou, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Sichuan and Tibet all reported an increase of over 10 percent in their total industrial output values. Shaanxi Province put an end to the loss-making situation of its State-owned industrial enterprises, which lasted for six consecutive years. In fixed assets investment, Ningxia and Gansu scored an increase of over 50 percent, respectively, Chongqing and Xinjiang more than 30 percent, and Qinghai and Tibet, over 20 percent. All these excluding Yunnan in the western region witnessed a 10 percent rise in retail sales in the first four months of this year. Guizhou is the only province in the western region which suffered from the decrease of foreign trade in the four-month period. Chongqing, however, had a 98.6 percent increase, and the increase rate for Xinjiang and Tibet exceeded 50 percent. The ten areas in western China cover a total area of 5.4 million square kilometers with a population of 300 million. The region is rich in cultural and natural resources, and boasts abundant mineral and energy resources. The Chinese Government launched a campaign to develop its vast western region late last year. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |