The Chinese central authorities have set down strategic plans for far western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to achieve leapfrog development and lasting stability. At a central work conference on Xinjiang's development concluded Wednesday, President Hu Jintao said Xinjiang should embark on a development path with Chinese characteristics and one that suits the region's situation. Despite Xinjiang's rapid development in recent years, it is still lagging behind the country's economically-developed eastern region due to various historical, natural and social reasons, he said. Hu said the region should comprehensively push forward its economic, political, cultural and social development and enhance Party building under the new circumstances. By 2015, per capita GDP in Xinjiang should catch up with the country's average level and the residents' income and their access to basic public services should reach the average level of the country's western regions, Hu said. "Marked" im...
