Yang Zhen, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and executive vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party (CPWDP), led a team from Sept 4 to 5 to Yinchuan, the capital of Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region, to survey the advancement of the large-scale development of China's western region to form a new pattern.

The survey team held a symposium, wherein Yang stressed the need to fully implement important arrangements of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on promoting the large-scale development of the western region in the new era, accurately grasp the essence of the strategy, and make solid efforts to foster a new pattern of western development. He called for greater protection, greater openness, and high-quality development based on local conditions and resource endowments.

Efforts should focus on strengthening the ecological security barrier in the Yellow River basin, developing a higher-level inland open economy, and building a competitive modern industrial system. He also called for greater efforts to attract, retain, and make good use of talent, so as to consolidate the talent foundation for western development.

At the symposium, Wang Lu, full-time vice-chairman of the CPWDP Central Committee, introduced the research background. Mai Yanzhou, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee and vice-chairman of the Ningxia regional government, briefed on the overall progress of Ningxia's participation in boosting the large-scale development of the western region. Heads of relevant research institutes, government departments and prefecture-level authorities reported on relevant work and exchanged views.

The team also visited relevant enterprises to learn about the development of industries, including new materials, equipment manufacturing, modern coal chemical industry and specialty agriculture, and heard opinions and suggestions.

Yang Shuli, vice-chairwoman of the CPPCC Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee and chairwoman of the CPWDP Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee, participated in the survey.