Interprovincial Cooperation Drives China's Economic Growth

Interprovincial cooperation in China has given a new impetus to the sustained and rapid growth of the national economy, against the backdrop of a global economic slowdown.

China reported a 7.9-percent economic growth during the first six months of this year. The Asian Development Bank attributed this to the expanded economic cooperation between different provinces and the increasing domestic demand in the country.

Interprovincial cooperation enables all provinces to tap market potential, exploit the advantages of different markets and expand investment, said analysts.

Interprovincial cooperation has won the support of the Chinese government. In 1999, the State Council called on all provinces and municipalities in the developed east region to participate in the development of the western region.

Today, different provinces are closely linked by major projects including the transfer of water from the south to the north, and the transfer of electricity and natural gas from the west to the east.

Jiangxi, a major agricultural base in east China, has carried out trade and economic cooperation with the rest of the country.

It has reached a deal with Liaoning Province, northeast China, to exchange 380,000 tourists in the coming five years. In another deal, some 100,000 surplus labors in Nanchang, Jiangxi's provincial capital, will be offered jobs in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province.

Jiangxi's cooperation with Shanghai has brought about 700 projects, covering diverse sectors including business development, agriculture, infrastructure construction, real estate and environmental protection.

"The worldwide economic slowdown will not affect China's economic growth," said Qiu Xiaohua, deputy director of the National Bureau of Statistics, "With expanded cooperation between different regions, the national economy will continue to grow."

His view was echoed by Shanghai's Mayor Xu Kuangdi, Liaoning's Governor Bo Xilai and many other officials.






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