China invested 577.8 billion yuan (US$91.91 billion) in new projects designed to support its western development strategy this year, the country's top economic planner said Wednesday.

In 2012, construction started on 22 major projects, including the third west-east natural gas pipeline project and a wind power base in Gansu province, the commission said.

A total of 3.68 trillion yuan was invested in 187 major projects between 2000 and 2012, the commission said.

The western development strategy is a policy adopted by the government in January 2000 to help underdeveloped western regions catch up with China's more prosperous eastern regions.

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