Mou Benli, vice minister of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission
(SEAC), said the state has given key support to a batch of projects
concerning infrastructure facilities, ecological and environmental
protection and construction, industrial restructuring, science and
technology, education, culture and medical services in the last few
years since this significant strategy was introduced.
"About 460 billion yuan in construction funds have been
earmarked by the central government for the west, in addition to
more than 500 billion yuan in financial transfers and special
purpose subsidies, which have greatly boosted economic growth and
social undertakings in these regions," he added.
Between 2000 and 2005, the average annual growth rate of the
total output value in the ethnic minority areas reached 10.1
percent, a rise of 1.4 percentage points over the average growth
rate in the four years from 1996 to 1999. In 2004, the local
revenue of the ethnic minority areas topped 110 billion yuan, 93.1
percent higher than the figure for 1999. The disposable family
income per capita in the urban areas was 7,962 yuan, 2,565 yuan
more than in 1999. The net income per capita in the rural areas was
2,077 yuan, a 455-yuan increase over 1999.
In addition, Mou said that the state has strengthened its
efforts to help poverty-stricken ethnic minorities.
In the period 2000-2004, a budget of 264 million yuan was set
aside to back the poverty alleviation drive, which has in turn
encouraged and attracted a large amount of investment in the
frontier regions. As a result, more than 20,000 projects have been
launched in the fields of infrastructure, agricultural production,
ecological construction, culture and education.
Assistance has also been given to support the development of 22
ethnic minority groups each with a population of less than 100,000.
The provision of special aid in this regard has also been included
by the State Council in its10th Five-Year Plan.
In May 2005, the "Development Plan (2005-2010) for the Aid of
Ethnic Minorities with Small Populations" was drafted. It set a
target of helping to alleviate the suffering of poverty-stricken
ethnic-minority villages within five years – a shorter timeframe
than for people in similar conditions in other parts of the
country.
"All these steps have greatly improved infrastructure
construction, and economic and social development, as well as the
living standards of the people in ethnic-minority areas," Mou
said.
(China.org.cn by Unisumoon May 31, 2005)
