Xinjiang sets ambitious agenda for development

The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission announced recently the region's annual plan for key projects in 2021, including 350 projects with a total investment of 1.65 trillion yuan ($251 billion), covering the fields of water conservancy, transportation, energy, industry and people's livelihoods.

Of those, 160 projects are ongoing, 80 are new and 110 are in reserve. More than 240 billion yuan of investment is planned to be completed in 2021.

This year marks the beginning of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). Xinjiang plans to speed up construction, improve quality and efficiency and foster new growth points.

All the projects under construction in southern Xinjiang had resumed as of March 20. All those under construction in northern and eastern Xinjiang are expected to resume before April 10.

The region will promote new projects according to a schedule, striving to start construction of more than 90 percent of them by the end of June, with the rest before the end of September.

Meanwhile, Xinjiang will push forward the preliminary work on reserve projects and further improve the conversion rate of projects already begun, the commission said.