Chinese lawmakers Monday called for efforts to popularize the nine-year compulsory education, attract more talents and improve the quality of the population, saying that it is of vital importance to the success of China's western development strategy.
Members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), made the call when reviewing a report on the implementation of the Strategy of Developing the West, submitted by Zeng Peiyan, minister in charge of the State Development Planning Commission.
While extending satisfaction over the previous western development work, the NPC Standing Committee members proposed that more efforts should be made in education in the poor western areas.
Ge Hongsheng, vice-chairman of the NPC Financial and Economic Committee, said improving the population quality is one of the basic ways to eliminate poverty in these areas. He proposed that the central government and the provincial governments concerned should bear all expense in implementing the nine-year compulsory education.
Ge's proposal was echoed by Du Yinjin, a member of the NPC Standing Committee, who added that eliminating illiteracy among youngsters and middle-aged people should be given a lot of emphasis.
Lu Guanqiu, a renowned business leader who is a non-voting deputy in attendance at the meeting, believes that people in the west should change their way of thinking in order to meet the incoming waves of western development.
Tong Zhiguang, also a member of the NPC Standing Committee, proposed that better living, education and recreation facilities and a talent mobility system should be established to attract more talented personnel from eastern regions.
(Xinhua 10/30/2000)
