Editorials

Development focus

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-08 08:03

The decision to continue with the pace of developing China's western regions is significant, as it will not only help lift out of poverty people from quite a few ethnic groups there, but will also aid in the balanced growth of the national economy.

The $100-billion investment into 23 infrastructure projects in the region this year speaks volumes about the growth strategy adopted by the central government.

In the past decade since this strategy was initiated, the region's GDP has increased at a rate of 11.9 percent annually, which is higher than the national average.

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The initiative has lifted more than 25 million people from minority ethnic groups out of poverty from 1999 to 2008.

The development potential shown by the region owes much to this far-sighted roadmap unveiled more than a decade ago.

Without prosperity in the west, the country's overall progress will be hit, and the pace of growth in the eastern regions will lose steam. The goal of achieving higher standards of living for the nation's entire populace will hang in the balance.

The development of the eastern regions over the last two decades of the previous century has provided enough lessons for more sustainable growth efforts in the western regions.

Statistics show that tree-planting efforts have increased the western region's forest cover by 30.65 million hectares.

This is proof that economic growth initiatives have not blindly sidestepped ecological conservation endeavors.

The ecology of the western regions, where the country's three major rivers originate, is very fragile.

Therefore, local governments must be restrained from prioritizing economic growth rates at the cost of environment.

The nation has already paid a heavy price in terms of environmental damage while developing the eastern region. The mistakes must not be repeated.

(China Daily 07/08/2010 page8)