Speech by Wang Jinxiang, Vice Chairman of the NDRC and Deputy Director of the Office of the Leading Group for Western Region Development of the State Council

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends from the Press,

It is my great pleasure to attend the press conference today and to make an introduction on the 11th Five Year Plan on Western Region Development and the development of the western region.

The State Council recently approved the 11th Five Year Plan on Western Region Development, the compilation of which was organized by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Office of the Leading Group for Western Region Development, which fully shows the high importance that the CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach to the western region development. It will be of great significance to activate the initiative of relevant departments and regions especially that of the western region, and to promote the coordinated interaction among East China, Mid China and West China to complement each other’s advantages as well as the sound and rapid development of the western region.

The Plan takes the scientific approach to development and specifies the guiding principles and major objectives for western region development during the 11th Five Year period. The Plan underlines acceleration of reform and opening up, efforts on changing economic growth pattern, improvement of development quality and continuous improvement of endogenous development ability and the material and cultural standards of the urban and rural residents through national support, the efforts of western region itself and regional cooperation so that western region development will enter a new phase. The Plan, according to the principles of putting people first and concentrating the resources on the big issues, focuses on eight priorities, namely new socialist countryside building, infrastructure construction, development of industries with advantages and distinctive features, development of key areas, eco-environment building, environmental protection and resource conservation, basic public service provision, talent pool building, and expansion of opening up domestically and internationally.Meanwhile, a set of key projects and Plans are put forward for the effective implementation of the priorities. The Plan puts forward demands on further improving the support mechanisms for western region development in six areas, i.e. national policy support, financial service support, business development incentive, rational development of resources, coordinated services of government agencies and effective implementation of Plans.

The 11th Five Year Plan on Western Region Development is an important outline to implement the National 11th Five Year Plan and to coordinate and guide western region development, and is a major basis to regulate government behavior and perform government functions according to the laws and regulations and to promote and implement priority tasks and key projects of western region development. For more than one year since the drafting of the Plan started, we have carefully listened to comments and proposals from various sides, strengthened the inter-connection with Plans of other departments and with regional Plans, and made efforts so that the Plan is well-targeted in practice and operational. The compilation of the Plan has become a process to grasp and implement the Scientific Approach to Development and to coalesce opinions, improve understanding, revivify and do a solid work. We believe that, for the next five years, the features of the Plan as a macro guidance and strategic policy will gradually be revealed.

Western region development currently enters a new period and a new phase. However, we face quite a few new problems and challenges, which accordingly require new approaches and measures.

With seven years of adopting the western region development strategy, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, people in the western region have worked hard under unfavorable conditions and have made remarkable progresses in promoting western region development. The infrastructure has been remarkably improved and great achievements have been made in eco-system building and environmental protection. The development of key cities and advantageous industries has taken on a good momentum. The weak sectors in social undertaking have been strengthened. There is an accelerated pace for ethnic, remote and impoverished area to reduce poverty and become prosperous, with further improved living standards for different groups. The interaction between East China, Mid China and West China is promoted, which plays an important role in maintaining the stable and relatively rapid national economic development. This has laid important foundation and will create good environment for western region development during and after the 11th Five Year period.

However, we are fully aware that development in the western regions still faces great challenges. There remain the long-term and deep-rooted challenges of underdeveloped productivity, vulnerable natural and ecological environment, backward infrastructure facilities in general, low level of science and education, etc. Some challenges within the system and mechanism such as irrational economic structure, external growth pattern and heavy tasks on energy conservation and emission reduction are prominent. There are some top issues of concern to people’s daily lives to be dealt with, i.e. those related to agriculture, farmers and rural areas, high percentage of impoverished and low-income population, employment and social security for urban and rural residents, safety risks in business production, etc. Therefore, it is fair to say that the difficulty and focus for the realization of a moderately prosperous society and socialist harmonious society lie in the western region. It is a significant task of concern to the whole nation to continue to assist and support the western region in making sound and rapid development with more determination and more effective measures.

Now my colleagues and I are willing to take your questions.