Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region covers an area of 1.6649 million square kilometers in the northwest frontier region of China. Three times the size of France and seven times the size of Great Britain, Xinjiang accounts for one sixth of China's total territory. Xinjiang borders on eight countries, more than any other Chinese province or region; its 5600 km border is China's longest, making up fully one quarter of the country's total land border. In 2008 the region was home to 21.3 million people, of which 60.7 percent are from ethnic minorities.

Formerly known as the Western Territory, Xinjiang has been an inalienable part of China since ancient times. The world famous Silk Road linking East and West passed through the region and Xinjiang and is now on the route of the second Europe-Asia Continental Bridge. Located at the heart of the Eurasian continent, Xinjiang is of vital strategic importance.

Since the founding of New China in 1949, and especially since the start of the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, Xinjiang has witnessed dramatic changes, thanks to the correct leadership of the Communist Party of China and the hard work and unity of all ethnic groups in the region.

From 1949 to 2008, the region's gross domestic product (GDP) grew from a few hundred million yuan to 420.3 billion yuan. Per-capita GDP rose from just over 100 yuan to 19,893 yuan. Industrial added-value increased from less than 100 million yuan to 179 billion yuan, financial revenue grew from 22 million yuan to 81.7 billion yuan, and imports and exports from just over 10 million yuan to 22.2 billion yuan. From 1978 to 2008, the per-capita disposable income of urban residents in Xinjiang increased from 319 yuan to 11,432 yuan and the per-capita net income of rural residents rose from 119 to 3,503 yuan. People of all ethnic groups have achieved a relatively well-to-do standard of living.

Xinjiang has made remarkable achievements in building production of cotton, grain, fruit and livestock. It is also the largest producer of natural gas and the third-largest producer of oil in China. Many major water conservancy, transportation, energy, and communications projects have been completed and put into operation.

Education is developing in an all-round way and job-creation and re-deployment are advancing effectively. Social security coverage is expanding and the medical and healthcare sector is developing rapidly. Development-oriented poverty alleviation has made remarkable progress and projects to improve water quality, combat disease and build earthquake-proof houses, are being accelerated.

Xinjiang has forged ahead with a strategy of turning its resource advantage into economic advantage and is vigorously advancing its new industrialization strategy. In 2008, industrial added-value reached 179 billion yuan and industrial growth has become the decisive factor in the region's rapid economic development. With accelerated exploitation of its abundant oil, natural gas, coal and nonferrous metals, Xinjiang is being built into a base for oil and gas chemical engineering, coal-fired power generation and coal-chemical industry. The region is set to become one of China's major strategic resource bases. There are already three major oil fields; in the Junggar Basin, the Tarim Basin and the Turpan-Hami Basin; with petrochemical bases in Karamay, Dushanzi, Urumqi, Korla, and Zepu, Xinjiang is already an important oil and petrochemical base in western China.

Xinjiang is continuously enhancing its level of opening-up and has become China's frontline in opening up to the west. It has built a multi-directional, multi-level and wide-ranging opening-up pattern by expanding links both overseas and with other provinces and regions within China. The construction of the second Europe-Asia Continental Bridge and other trunk lines of communication has been a vital factor. Xinjiang now has economic and trade relations with more than 140 countries and regions.

Today's Xinjiang is no longer a remote region. It has 18 internal air routes, 82 routes linking Xinjiang with other parts of China and 45 international routes connecting the region with 86 cities in 20 countries. The region's railway, the westernmost section of China's railway network, has reached a length of 2,925 km and forms part of the new Europe-Asia Continental Bridge. Road mileage has reached 145,200 km. Xinjiang has more international passenger and freight transportation routes, greater operating mileage, and higher frequency of trips, than any other province in China. Data and multi-media communications networks are also developing rapidly, making it easier and faster to connect to the outside world.

Thanks!