Western development

As China's economic growth decelerated to 7.5 percent year-on-year in the second quarter and still faces downturn pressures, maintaining sustainable development is particularly important if the government is to meet its pledge that it will keep employment from sagging and improve people's livelihoods.

During his three-day inspection tour of northwestern Gansu province that concluded on Monday, Premier Li Keqiang sent a clear message that the government will promote an economic takeoff in its vast less-developed western region as a way to bolster the country's sustainable development.

"The largest space for China's further growth lies in its central and western areas as the country's economic structure faces a prominent imbalance between urban and rural areas and among different regions," Li said. "Western development serves as an important prop for the sustainable and healthy development of the national economy, as well as a requirement for social justice, and so differentiated economic policies should be adopted for the region."