Chinese leaders met here Friday to discuss plans to greatly boost economic development in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and maintain long-term social stability in the region.

The meeting, presided over by President Hu Jintao, stressed that economic and social development in Xinjiang should be pushed forward in a sound and fast way, with the priority going to guaranteeing and improving people's livelihood so that all ethnic groups in the region could live a wealthier and happier life.

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee pointed out that the Party's ethnic and religious polices should be upheld so that people of different ethnic groups and religions could live in harmony and that social stability be maintained and enhanced in the region.

The meeting also stressed that partner assistance from eastern and central regions to Xinjiang should be strengthened.