China wants to strengthen ports, aviation hubs in western regions By Reuters

(Reuters) – China said on Sunday it would launch 15 measures to boost the development of its western provinces by building logistical infrastructure such as ports and aviation hubs.

The General Administration of Customs said the measures would improve the integration of rail, air, river and sea connections in western China, state media reported.

The measures include the expansion of international aviation hubs in cities such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi’an and Urumqi, as well as the development of comprehensive customs zones and their integration into ports and other transport links.

In addition, several ports would be built and expanded.

China has long sought to bolster the economic strength of its western regions, which have lagged significantly behind coastal provinces. But ethnic tensions in such places in Xinjiang and the tough security measures Beijing sees as necessary to ensure national unity and border stability have drawn criticism from some Western nations.

China’s western regions cover about two-thirds of the country’s land area and include regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet.

China’s Politburo last year called for a “new urbanization” of western China to revitalize rural areas, expand poverty alleviation efforts and boost energy resources. Efforts have also been made to improve connections to Europe and South Asia through trade corridors, including rail freight routes.