GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF WESTERN REGION
The western region embraces six provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, three autonomous regions of Ningxia, Xinjiang and Tibet, and Chongqing Municipality that is directly under the administration of the Central Government. The region, covering 5.45 million square km, takes up 56.8 percent of the country's total land area. There are 0.29 billion persons living in the region, which is home to 22.9 percent of the nation's total population. In 1999,GDP of the western region was 1,210.6 billion yuan, contributing 14.8 percent of the national GDP.
The region enjoys vast territory, rich natural resources and plentiful labor power. With tremendous developing potential, the region is the key reserve base for sustainable development of national economy.
As the source and main valley of four major rivers in China: Yangtze, Yellow, Pearl and Yarlung Zangbo Rivers, hydropower capacity of the western region amounts 0.56 billion kw, accounting for 82.5 percent of national total. However, developed and utilized hydropower is less than 1 percent. 7 of 10 hydropower bases in plan are located in the region for substantial developing potential. Physical features are very complicated, abundant mineral resources are contained in the region. Among 140 sorts of surveyed mineral resources, more than 120 sorts of mineral resources have been found in the western region. Of this total, coal is as much as 36 percent of national total; petroleum, 12 percent; and natural gas, 53 percent. Capacities of some rare metals top in China, even in the world.
Natural appearances of the region are preserved best in China at present, so that it is rich in tourism resources.It is famous for grand Majesty Terra-cotta Army, world-famous Mogao Grottoes, wonderland Jiuzhai-Huanglong, well-known the Three Gorges, and fascinated folk-custom. It can be foreseen that tourism will be the pillar industry of the western region and is to be vigorous in the future.
With vast territory and low population density, the region's economic development is relatively slow. There are many spare labor forces, and most of them transfer to outside every year. It has the unique advantage on labor power for rich supply and low cost.
The region has long boundary. Exchanges with neighboring countries are frequent. As the door opening to west, to north and to South Asia, the western region enjoys special territorial advantage. More than 20 minority nationalities in the western region are part of the same tribe as the citizen of neighboring countries.
With long history of relationship, they share the same language and character, and close custom. Most of minority nationalities believe the same religion, and traditional economic and cultural relations with neighboring countries are kept well for a long time. So complementarities with neighboring countries in the structures of resources, economy and technology are available. The western region was booming in the period of the Silk Road. While the opening police is carried out from east to west, the western region is bound to be another foreland area opening to outside.
Since the foundation of PRC, the social and economic development of the region has advanced greatly, and laid tough basis of economy and technology. During the period of constructing remote regions away from the coastal areas, with the emphasized input by the state, more than 2000 large and medium sized enterprises had been set up in every province (municipality, autonomous region). A batch of industries of high specialty and strong influence has been formed. Lots of competent persons of specialized techniques have been brought up. Technical level in some fields is at the top of the state even of the world. The western region is regarded as the important role in the national industrial distribution. Besides, in support of rich resources, provinces (municipalities, autonomous regions) of the region made great efforts to develop characteristic industry, forming advanced industries of electricity, nonferrous metals mining and dressing, aviation and aerospace technology, smelting and pressing, communication facility manufacturing, coal and tobacco processing.
The western region once was brilliant in history. Today the region faces unprecedented opportunity. While westward bound is brought into effect, development of all causes in the region will enter a new phase.