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The central government has injected some 260 billion yuan (US$31.3 billion) into developing China's vast western areas in the last three years, according to data obtained Tuesday at the Media Center of the ongoing 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
Of the total, about 200 billion yuan (US$24 billion) were allocated for infrastructure, 50 billion yuan (US$6 billion) for environmental protection, while over 10 billion (US$1.2 billion) went to social undertakings.
In addition, 160 billion yuan (US$19 billion), or over one-third of the long-term state treasury bonds was used for western development. The central government also transferred 300 billion yuan (US$36 billion) of payment to the western areas. Moreover, outstanding loans from financial institutions in the western region increased by more than 600 billion yuan (US$72 billion) in the three years.
(Xinhua News Agency November 12, 2002)
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