China's "Go-West" campaign should focus on the long-term and all-round development in vast western regions, a senior expert suggested.

Du Ping, director of the Institute of Land Planning and Regional Development at the National Development and Reform Commission, cautioned that the "developing the west" drive will have to be a long-term strategy aimed at enhancing all-round development in western China.

"Any hasty practices to gain short-term payoffs and ideas exclusively focusing on economic profits while neglecting overall development should be ruled out.''

Du said the campaign was being carried out cautiously and that "six major improvements have taken place since the government kicked off the drive in 2000.''

The following is a list of some of these improvements:

*Infrastructure construction is being accelerated and includes a 50 billion yuan (US$6 billion) road-building plan in western China.

*Environmental and ecological conditions have greatly improved, thanks to an increasing awareness of environmental protection among people and government's efforts. Annually, about 50,000 square kilometres of deserts and spoiled highlands are treated.

*Companies, particularly private ventures, continue to sharpen their competitive edge to position themselves to become more influential on domestic and international markets.

*Overall progress has been made on education, healthcare and other social services.

*The central government intensified its programmes for the western regions. About 100 preferential regulations and policies were launched in the past four years.

*Progress was also made on the legal framework. More than 2,000 local regulations and measures were revised or cancelled to facilitate development and to keep China's World Trade Organization commitments.

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