URUMQI, March 27 -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region plans to train 2,000 technological professionals from ethnic minority origins by 2020, local authorities announced Monday.

Over four years, Xinjiang will select professionals under the age of 45 to join a training program for certain major industries such as coal chemicals, petrochemicals, mineral exploration, transport and environmental protection.

They will receive training and gain practical experience in universities, scientific research institutions, enterprises or public institutions for one year, according to the regional department of human resources and social security. The training program is expected create experts in its respective fields.

The department's statistics show that 4,772 professional personnel from 14 ethnic groups in Xinjiang have received such training since 1992, when the country introduced a special program to train professionals of ethnic minority origins in the key areas of science and technology.