Q: In the early days of the reform and opening up, China
decided to pursue the road of "common prosperity." But in fact,
there is still a big gap between China's eastern and western areas
in economic development and people's life. What are the causes for
this disparity? In 2000, China proposed a strategy of developing
the country's western regions. What is the emphasis of this
strategy? In what aspects has the central government provided
aid?
A: People who come to China can notice that there is a big gap
between China's eastern and western areas in terms of economic
development and people's life. There are historical and geographic
reasons for this disparity, but it is also related to China's
policy to develop coastal areas first. Since the economy in eastern
and coastal areas has made substantial achievement during the past
two decades, the central government proposed in 2000 to implement
the strategy of developing western regions.
China's western areas include 10 provinces, autonomous regions
and municipalities of Gansu, Guizhou, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi,
Sichuan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Yunnan and Chongqing. These areas account
for two thirds of the country's total territory and 22.8 percent of
the total population. There are rich mineral resources in the
western areas. The areas also have great advantages in terms of
energy resources, water resources, fertile soil and tourism.
?
The aim of the strategy is to make breakthroughs within 10 years in
the areas' infrastructure construction, ecological and the
environmental protection and economic development. In the past five
years the central government allocated a total of 960 billion yuan
(US115.6 billion) in t forms of construction funds, financial
transfer payments and special subsidies to the western regions.
These financial inputs have greatly pushed forward the economic
and social development of the western areas. According to
statistics, from 2000 to 2004, gross products of China's west
increased an averse of around 10 percent annually, total investment
in fixed assets up 20 percent and local revenue 14 percent. The gap
in development pace between the western areas and national average
was narrowed from 1.5 percent to 0.8 percent.
?
Of course, there are still many difficulties and problems in
developing China's western areas. Despite the efforts during the
past five yeas, the gap between China's western areas and eastern
areas is still increasing. Although ecology and environment of
western areas have been improved to some extent, the general trend
of degradation is yet to be reversed. At the same time, inadequate
infrastructure still greatly restricts economic and social
development in the areas.
?
At present, the central government is seeking to establish
long-term and stable government input channels and investment
mechanism for the western areas. Promulgation of a special law is
also under way to facilitate the overall social and economic
development of the regions.
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Unfavorable natural and ecological
conditions, as well as inadequate infrastructure construction,
hinder the development in west China. Pictured is a
drought-stricken village in Gansu Province.