Project to Drive Border AreasA project to promote economic development along China's borders has benefited millions of Han and minority people in the frontier regions.The project, involving the joint efforts of 15 ministries and commissions, is to improve economic development in border regions within 10 years. It backs additions to infrastructure and the creation of other programs. For example, the central government and the Yunnan provincial government spent 170 million yuan (US$20.5 million) to help ethnic minorities in the border province develop agriculture and forestry to curb poverty. The State Ethnic Affairs Commission's 4-month-old project has designed programs suited to local communities, said commission Vice-Minister Mou Benli. Mou made his comments at a weekend meeting in Dandong, a city in Northeast China's Liaoning Province. The meeting was held so participants could share experience and commission officials could exchange their ideas. Many ethnic minorities live in border regions, where economies lag behind national averages. In the past four months, Mou said, the commission and its departments have done large-scale research to learn about the difficulties of peoples living in border regions. Mou vowed to increase financial and technical aid to border regions. About 2 billion yuan (US$240 million) in State and provincial money has been spent so far, said Yang Fan, deputy director of the commission's Economic Development Department. But the commission's funding is limited and cannot cover all programs, Yang said. Mou said the State Ethnic Affairs Commission will continue to seek support from other ministries and commissions. Provinces, minority entrepreneurs and other business people would also contribute to the effort, Mou said. His commission will also try to raise funds through treasury bonds, Mou added. |
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