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China’s top political adviser Wang Huning urges support for Xinjiang in education, culture and industry
- Wang Huning stresses role of programme – criticised by US – that pairs coastal areas with cities in far western region for investment and exchanges
- He also highlights need for social stability and ‘strong sense of community of the Chinese nation’
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China’s top political adviser called for more support for the western region of Xinjiang in education, cultural exchanges and cooperation between local cadres and officials from other parts of the country, state media reported on Friday.
Wang Huning, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the Communist Party’s top decision-making body, and chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top advisory body, made the remarks at a biennial work conference on Wednesday, according to official news agency Xinhua.
Wang called for efforts to develop the industrial, education and cultural sectors in the region as well as promote personnel exchanges and improve interactions among different ethnic groups.
He also stressed the importance of “pairing assistance”, referring to a nearly 25-year-old national strategy in which China’s coastal provinces and municipalities are paired with cities and counties in Xinjiang to send investment and personnel directly to the region.
In recent years, the programme has come under strong criticism by the US government, which has imposed tough sanctions amid allegations of unfair government subsidies and labour abuses.
Wang said there must be a focus on social stability and long-term security in Xinjiang, as well as “fostering a strong sense of community of the Chinese nation”.
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