Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday called for more support to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to achieve leapfrog development and long-term stability in this westernmost region of China.

Li made the remarks at the 3rd National Work Conference on "pairing assistance" projects to support Xinjiang's development.

President Hu Jintao met the delegates to the annual conference and thanked them for their efforts made in accelerating Xinjiang's development.

Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Xi Jinping, both members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, were present at the meeting. Zhou Yongkang, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, also met with the delegates and attended the conference.

Huge achievements have been made in the past two years under a large number of pairing assistance projects for Xinjiang, especially projects concerning Xinjiang people's well-being, said Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Vast land, abundant resources and huge development potential make Xinjiang a major area to implement China's strategy to expand domestic demand and the strategy to develop the country's western regions, Li said, adding Xinjiang is also a key area to accommodate transfer of domestic industries.

Xinjiang is one of the bridgeheads for China's opening to central Asia and Europe, said Li, calling for speeding up the opening of China's western border areas while enhancing the openness of its eastern coastal regions.

Li noted that assisting the development of Xinjiang is a long-lasting, arduous and imperative task.

More efforts and higher effectiveness are needed to advance the programs concerning the well-being of local people, such as housing, employment, medical care and social insurance, while the infrastructure construction and environmental protection should be further improved, said Li.

More support regarding technology, education, talented people and excellent cadres should be provided to Xinjiang, and the exchanges between Xinjiang and inland areas should be enhanced, Li added.

Li urged all provinces and municipalities involved to summarize the past successful experience in supporting Xinjiang's growth, solve existing difficulties and problems, and make plans for future assistance, so to help Xinjiang realize leapfrog development and long-term stability.

The "pairing assistance" projects, first unveiled by the Central Government at a high-level conference in March 2010, involve 19 provinces and municipalities in support of the development of Xinjiang.

(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2012)