The central Government will continue to provide financial assistance to ethnic-minority regions, Premier Zhu Rongji said yesterday.
Beijing would speed up construction of highways and railways, and build more irrigation and telecommunication facilities to help alleviate poverty in these areas, Mr Zhu said at the end of a conference on ethnic minorities.
Unlike President Jiang Zemin, who blasted 'Western anti-China hostile forces' for instigating unrest in these areas when he opened the conference last weekend, Mr Zhu yesterday focused on measures to boost economies in such regions.
Local governments were told to focus on unique features of their economies and avoid unhealthy competition with neighbouring provinces.
Some provinces should develop tourism and animal husbandry while others should focus primarily on tourism, the Premier said.
While Mr Zhu encouraged local governments to waste no time in construction efforts, he reminded officials to strike a balance when it came to protecting the environment.
Natural forests must be preserved and given top priority, he said.