Chinese Vice PM Stresses Development of Ethnic Regions

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu says China has achieved obvious development in various sectors in its ethnic minority regions. He urges authorities to further strengthen ethnic unity and harmony in the country.

Addressing a meeting of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu stressed that ethnic work is key to China's stability and the happiness of people of all ethnic groups.

"Development is at the core of China's ethnic work. To boost the development of ethnic minority regions, the key is to focus on improving local infrastructure and people's livelihoods in ethnic regions, and encourage the regions to explore their own ways toward development."

Hui also urged authorities to conduct education campaigns on ethnic unity.

Du Ying, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, or NDRC, says the agency will give priority to the development of competitive industries in these regions.

"The NDRC will reinforce the construction of the basic infrastructure and ecological environment, support ethnic regions to develop their competitive industries, including the mineral processing industry, tourism and ethnic handicrafts."

Liu Shiyu, Vice Governor of the People's Bank of China, says the central bank will encourage financial institutions to step up their support for ethnic regions.

"The central bank will encourage financial institutions to enhance their support for ethnic regions to develop their infrastructure, competitive industries as well as ecological and environmental industries. We will also perfect the policies concerning small business loans and support the transfer of surplus labor forces in ethnic areas."

Up to the end of this December, China's financial institutions have issued small business loans of about 6 billion yuan, or nearly 880 million U.S. dollars, in 10 provinces and regions where minority peoples are concentrated so as to encourage the people there to set up their own businesses.