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

The interaction between eastern, central and western areas shall be enhanced. We shall adhere to the principles of government promotion, market operation, institutional innovation and mutual benefits, encourage those areas to establish special funds for regional cooperation, and promote reasonable flow of factors of production. We shall also promote those areas to jointly set up long-term and steady bases for development of energies and mineral resource. Cross-regional economic cooperation organizations and industrial associations of all kinds shall be established and improved. We shall continue to improve the platforms for interaction between the eastern and western areas including the Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China and the Western China International Economy & Trade Fair, proactively promote the works on partner assistance from developed areas in the eastern area to poverty-stricken areas in the western area, and speed up the establishment of a sound regional coordinated interactive system, so as to form a new pattern featured by coordinated interaction, mutual promotion and co-development among eastern, central and western areas.

We shall conduct overseas economic exchange and cooperation. More efforts shall be made to introduce international industrial capital and financial capital, improve the quality and level of utilization of foreign capital in western area, and support foreign investment in major projects and enterprises according to national policies through entrepreneurship investment fund and equity investment fund. We shall carry out the “going global” strategy, guiding, encouraging and supporting enterprises in the western areas to actively participate in overseas investment, overseas contracted projects and foreign labor service cooperation. We shall fully use of the platform of international regional cooperation organizations to broadly participate in the Greater Mekong Sub-region Economic Cooperation and Regional Economic Cooperation in Central Asia. The Central Asian Investment and Economic Trade Cooperation Demonstration Center shall be established and the establishment of Horgos International Cooperation Center and Pinxiang integrated bonded area shall be picked up. More efforts shall be made to develop border trades and actively explore new modes of development and opening up of border areas.

8. Speed up rebuilding in quake-stricken areas and complete scheduled tasks

The rebuilding of livelihood projects shall be promoted. We shall implement the General Plan for Relief and Rebuilding after Wenchuan Earthquake, give priority to construction of houses for residents in the quake areas, basically finish rebuilding of houses of rural resident by 2009, and start rebuilding of houses in urban areas. More efforts shall be made on rebuilding of pubic facilities such as schools and hospitals and attentions shall be given to people living in remote poverty-stricken areas.

The rebuilding and resumption of infrastructure and industry shall be quickened. Priority shall be given to construction of trunk highways, rural roads, bus stations in counties and towns, and communication, grid and power facilities, and the rural drinking water program and the water supply program for newly-built towns shall be promoted. More efforts shall be made on prevention and control of geologic disasters and ecological restoration, consolidation of damaged embankments and reservoirs and treatment of dammed lakes to ensure safety in flood seasons. We shall combine works of promotion of employment with industrial rebuilding, accelerate restoration of agricultural production facilities and resumption of agricultural products markets, and facilitate tourism industry.

The efforts on comprehensive coordination shall be heightened. We shall perfect the comprehensive coordination mechanism and solve major issues arising from after-disaster resumption and rebuilding. More efforts shall be made on supervision over implementation of policies regarding tax, finance, land, environmental protection and industry. The funds from government investment, partner assistance, society, overseas preferential emergent loans and self-raised funds of enterprises shall be used in a unified way and the use efficiency of those funds shall be improved, quality of projects shall be ensured. We shall improve partner assistance plans and do good works on handing over of projects, funds and materials. The mid-term assessment of the execution of the general plan for after-quake resumption and rebuilding shall be conducted and adjusted, supplemented and improved according to real situations in a timely manner. Researches on long-term steady development of disaster area shall be made.