At the 10th Western China International Fair and Second Western China International Cooperation Forum in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan province on Oct 16, 2009, Premier Wen Jiabao spoke about developing western China on a large scale, with rapid growth in the economy.

"The government is resolved and will stick to its policy and make every effort in its Western Development Strategy because the level of development in the region will have an impact on China’s modernization, and the level of opening-up there will influence the breadth of the opening-up of the whole country,” Wen pointed out.

Strategic goal of the large western development plan

The idea is to make fundamental changes in the relatively backward area to make its a new region with a booming economy, more advanced society, more stable life, beautiful environment, and wealthier citizens by the mid part of the 21st century, through hard work, as China modernizes more.

The development of western Cgina is part of a central government policy whose purpose is to use the economic capacity of coastal parts of eastern China to improve economic and social development in the western parts and improve national defense. The following are milestones in the development project:

● January 2000: the State Council establishes a group to lead western development.

● March 2001: an outline of a 10th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of China is approved at a session of the 9th National People’s Congress for applying the Western Development Strategy.

● Dec 8, 2006: at an executive meeting of the State Council members approve the 11th Five-Year Plan for the Large-Scale Development of the Western Region in principle.

● Feb 2012: the State Council approves the 12th Five-Year Plan for Large-Scale Development of the Western Region, which uses past experience to further clarify the approach to and strategic deployment of large-scale development of western China.