China's west should step up building its energy and resources
bases to fuel the fast-growing national economy, said Chinese Vice
Premier Zeng Peiyan in Xining Tuesday.
Zeng urged China's west to develop such industries as oil,
natural gas, coal and hydro-power energy for the national economic
progress and security of the country's energy supply.
China's western development strategy has brought great changes
to the regions in the past six years, said Zeng at a symposium on
industrial development of the western regions, adding that the
regions should make good use of its advantages, such as energy and
tourism, for further development.
China started the drive in 2000, targeting 12 underdeveloped
western areas, to narrow the gap between these areas and the
fast-growing east.
Major tasks of the drive include improving infrastructure,
beefing up ecological and environmental protection, improving
healthcare and promoting education in these areas.
Zeng called for deepening reforms, readjusting economic
structures, transforming ways of economic growth and making greater
efforts in agriculture development in the western regions.
He also stressed the western regions should develop the
recycling economy and adopt resources-conservation policies for its
sustainable development.
(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2005)