The
western part of China is home to one-third of the country's
administrative provinces and autonomous regions. It covers an
area of 5.4 million square meters and has a combined population
of over 280 million, making up 56 percent and 23 percent of
the national total respectively. The region used to be described
as "barren, remote, poor, large, valuable and beautiful." It
lacks transportation facilities, and lags behind other parts
of the country in terms of development and economy. The GNP
per capita here accounts for just half of the average national
level. But the west boasts vast stretches of land, abundant
resources and beautiful scenery.
The
top Chinese leader Jiang Zeming put forward the guidelines for
accelerating the development of the west on June 17, 1999,stressing
that a coordinated development between the population, resources,
environment, and economy and society should be achieved by steps
through inputs of domestic and overseas capital as well as technical
personnel. On March 5, 2000, Premier Zhu Rongji pointed out
in his government work report that to implement the strategy
of developing the west is of great significance to expanding
domestic demand, promoting sustained growth of the national
economy and coordinated economic development between various
regions, and finally to the achievement of a common prosperity.
