Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday called for developing China's
poverty-stricken western region using the scientific concept of
development, at a workshop in memory of the fifth anniversary of
the launching of the Western Development Strategy by the central
government.
Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three
Represents" should be taken as the guidance in implementing the
strategy to accelerate the development of the economically backward
western areas, said Hu, who is also general secretary of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Central
Military Commission.
In his speech, the top leader highlighted the achievements of
the Western Development Strategy over the past five years and
pledged to carry out the strategy continuously, stressing it is a
major strategic resolution the central authorities have made in
consideration of the general situation of the country's reform,
opening up and socialist modernization drive.
It is proved that the strategic resolution and the guiding
principles are correct, the president said. He called for deepening
reforms, readjusting economic structures, transforming ways of
economic growth, speeding up the development of infrastructure and
bioenvironment, making greater efforts in dealing with problems
related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers, and depending on
the people in the western region.
Vice-Premier and Member of the CPC Central Committee Political
Bureau Zeng Peiyan also addressed the meeting, urging all to study
the instructions by President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.
According to the official, a total of 850 billion yuan (about
US$102.4 billion) have been invested in over 60 large
infrastructure projects in the region since 2000.
Over the past five years, the government has invested 460
billion yuan (about US$55.42 billion) and allocated over 500
billion yuan (about US$60.24 billion), as transfer payment or
special subsidies for the development of the western region.
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(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2005)