On April 22nd and 23rd, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping inspected Chongqing and chaired a seminar on the development of the western region. However, experts are skeptical about Xi’s reiteration of the “Western Development” policy that the CCP initiated over twenty years ago. Premier Li Keqiang, on the other hand, emphasized poverty alleviation during his visit to Guizhou, casually glossing over the issue of Western Development.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi Jinping presided over the seminar in Chongqing, where officials from various regions including Chongqing, Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Xinjiang gave speeches.
The concept of “Western Development” was first proposed by the CCP in 1999, building upon previous initiatives such as the “Third Front construction” during Mao Zedong’s era and Deng Xiaoping’s “Western construction” strategy.
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun expressed to Epoch Times that Xi Jinping’s revival of the Western Development strategy is reminiscent of past policies like the Third Front construction. With increasing tension in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, Xi may be considering the strategic importance of the western regions in case of crises in the east.
However, Cai Shenkun believes that the Western Development itself is a false proposition, as the region has been a stronghold of planned economy where resources are concentrated in government and state-owned enterprises, hindering the development of private and foreign investment.
Political commentator Zhong Yuan also pointed out that the official promotion of Western Development in China for over two decades has yielded limited results. The Western Development initiative covers 12 provinces and regions, primarily poverty-stricken areas that have been manipulated for CCP’s poverty alleviation propaganda.
The CCP’s financial constraints indicate that Western Development is not a viable solution to current economic challenges. Xi Jinping’s emphasis on “characteristic industries” and “emerging industries” for the western regions may only be feasible for certain provinces like Chongqing and Sichuan.
Chinese economist Li Hengqing criticized Xi’s oscillating policies, reflecting on his earlier commitment to environmental protection over large-scale development. The current economic slowdown has forced the government to reconsider strategies, leaving many questioning the rationale behind their decisions.
Many netizens expressed cynicism towards the authorities’ renewed focus on Western Development, highlighting the recurrent themes of inefficiency, corruption, and lack of genuine progress in the region.
In light of these discussions, Premier Li Keqiang’s subsequent visit to Guizhou, emphasizing poverty alleviation in line with Xi Jinping’s summit on Western Development, raises questions about the true intentions and effectiveness of these policies. The relegation of Li’s remarks to the end of the news report suggests a lack of priority on the part of the government towards the development of the western region.