China has planned to launch another 12 key projects that will involve a total investment of 300 billion yuan ($36.2 billion) in western China this year, following the construction of 10 key projects last year.

According to Li Zibin, deputy director of the Western China Development Office under the State Council, the key projects mainly include the Qinghai-Tibet railway, the pipeline project for gas transport from Xinjiang to the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangxi Longtan Hydropower Station, the Guangxi Baise Hydropower Hub, construction of non-ferrous metals including electrolytic aluminium bases, among other projects. China has made preferential policies for western China development. Of the 10 major projects started in 2000, 40 per cent of them have been put into production, and used a total investment of 76.2 billion yuan.