China taps 10 western areas for resource development
Copyright 2001 Reuters
October 12, 2001
BEIJING - China has designated 10 areas in its western hinterland where natural resources, including minerals, metals and energy, will be exploited as part of a sweeping plan to boost the lagging region, state media said yesterday.
Last year, China set a goal of developing central and western areas which account for 70 percent of its land area.
The Ministry of Land and Natural Resources had set a plan for the next five years to develop natural resources and tourism in western China while promoting environmental protection, the China Daily newspaper and Xinhua news agency said.
The government was considering reducing mining fees to encourage more investment in the west, they said.
Copper and manganese reserves in the west each accounted for more than 75 percent of China's total, while coal reserves made up 87 percent, state television said.
Following are the 10 designated areas and their resources, as announced by state media:
1. Tarim Basin in Xinjiang region - energy
2. Middle section of Yellow River - energy
3. Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang and Qilian Mountains in Qinghai and Gansu provinces - nonferrous metals and energy
4. Qaidam Basin in Qinghai - energy, chemicals and minerals
5. Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi province - nonferrous and rare metals
6. Confluence of "Three Rivers" in southwest China - nonferrous metals
7. Panzhihua in Sichuan province and Guizhou province - minerals
8. Sichuan Basin - natural gas
9. Hongshui River in Guangxi province - nonferrous and rare metals
10. Areas around Yarlung Zangbo, Lhasa and Nianchu Rivers in Tibet - nonferrous and rare metals.