Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Coping with the Global Financial Crisis and Maintaining Steady and Properly Rapid Economic Development in the Western Area of China

More efforts shall be made to carry out major water projects. We shall continue the reinforcement of reservoirs with potential risks and construction of flood control projects and support water-source projects including "Rundian Project", "Zeyu Project", "Xingshu Project" and "Ziqian Project". The efforts on construction of support facilities for and reconstruction of water-conservation facilities in large irrigation areas including Dujiangyan in Chengdu, Qingtong Gorge in Ningxia and Hetao area in Inner Mongolia shall be heightened. The construction of hydro complex projects of Tingzikou in Sichuan, Haibowan in Inner Mongolia and Pangduo in Tibet shall be started.

The energy infrastructure construction shall be promoted. Efforts shall be made to expedite the construction of major infrastructure projects including the second line for west-east natural gas transmission and of major grids and reconstruction of grid in rural areas, and improve the grid serving for the west-east natural gas transmission project. We shall promote the construction of coal-fired power base in Ningdong and put it into use as soon as possible.

More efforts shall be made on construction of urban and communication infrastructures. Rail traffic shall be promoted in western central cities such as Chongqing, Chengdu and Xi'an. The construction of sewage and wastes treatment infrastructure shall be quickened. Joint efforts shall be made on construction of shared communication infrastructure and the construction of G3 mobile communication network shall be promoted. We shall accelerate establishment of a unified E-government network in the western area.

Efforts shall be made on selection of major projects for future and preparations. We shall make research on plans for international transport routes to the Central Asia, Pan Asia and the South Asia. The preparations for national express and railways of Xi'an-Chongqing line and Chongqing-Guiyang-Nanning line and China-neighboring countries lines shall be quickened. The construction of land-way channel for safe transport of energies with strategic importance shall be promoted. The preliminary works for projects including divergence of Hanjiang River to Weihe River, Guangjingkou of Chongqing, Divergence of Xinjiang Burjin River Stage I and Kalabeili Water Complex shall be started.

2. Make more efforts in environmental protection and ecological construction to build a conservation-oriented and environment-friendly society

The achievements of returning cultivated land to forest and returning grazing land to grassland shall be consolidated. We shall implement the plan for consolidation of achievements of returning cultivated land to forest, carry out measures for issues concerning provision of basic farmland for planting grains for self use, energy in rural areas, ecological migration, follow-up industry development, forestation and training for farmers who participate in the program of returning cultivated land to forest, and solve farmers’ current difficulties and issues concerning livelihood in future. Forestation shall be undertaken in barren mountains and wastelands. We shall improve policies for returning grazing land to grassland, quicken the implementation and expand of the coverage of the said project, enhance efforts on building human-made pasture, water complex in pasturing areas and livestock sheds, and promote breeding of livestock according to natural conditions and in sheds.

The construction of major ecological projects shall be promoted. We shall advance major projects including the "Three-North Shelter Forest Program", treatment project of sandstorm sources of Beijing and Tianjin, natural forest protection project, Sanjiangyuan Natural Reserve protection project in Qinghai, comprehensive treatment of Shiyang River Basin in Gansu, and ecological protection of important water-supply area of the Yellow River in south Gansu province. We shall conduct comprehensive treatment of Heihe River and Talimu River basins and promote conservation of water and soil at the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River and the construction of warp land dams on the Loess Plateau. Efforts shall be made to formulate plans for ecological protection and construction in the water-sources conservation areas in Qilian Mountain and at the southeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The efforts on ecological protection in the Yangtze River and Pearl River basins in Diqing, Yunnan shall be heightened. The treatment of soil erosion resulting from stone desert shall be promoted.

More efforts shall be made on comprehensive environmental treatment. We shall make more endeavors to prevent and control water pollution in Danjiangkou reservoir and the upper reach of Danjiang River, the "Three Gorge" reservoir, the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River and Lake Dian, and conduct trade in pollutant discharging quotas. We shall make environmental monitoring and enhance efforts on comprehensive treatment of environment in rural areas and treatment of industrial pollution. We shall put forward the program of the 2nd batch of national demonstration pilots for recycling economy, support construction of major projects for recycling economy, promote clean production and quicken up to close down the enterprises that waste resources, cause serious pollution and fail to meet requirements for safe production. More efforts shall be made on prevention and treatment of geologic hazard and promote restoration of geological environment in mining areas and land development and reclamation in major areas. The reutilization of construction garbage in disaster-stricken areas shall be promoted.