China Daily:Apart from urbanization, a chance for development in areas all around China, what other opportunities have been given to Ningxia?
Wang Heshan:Let me introduce the "Inland opening-up pilot economic zone" in Ningxia. Vice premier Li Keqiang announced the approval of an "Inland opening-up pilot economic zone" in Ningxia and a "Comprehensive duty-free zone" in Yinchuan at the third China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum in September 2012.
It is the most important opportunity Ningxia has ever gained, and Ningxia's biggest opportunity bestowed by the central government's incentive policies. This is a golden opportunity, an opportunity that Ningxia should hold tight.
The central government has granted Ningxia the right to try something new first. Managing economic pilot zones in inland areas is different from managing those in coastal areas.
Coastal economic pilot zones were established since the beginning of China's reform and opening-up. China has gained rich experience in opening-up.
While following coastal areas' success in opening-up is necessary, how can inland areas promote its openness to the outside world?
I found the central government's decision to make Ningxia the pilot zone wise and sound. Ningxia is a small region with a small population.
It is inhabited by ethnic groups, and it is a backward economy. If Ningxia succeeds in building itself into an inland opening-up economic zone, the measures it adopts could serve as examples for other inland areas around China. Its success will encourage more cities to adopt an opening-up model if even such a poor, ethnic group-inhabited region can achieve it.
Of course, Ningxia has some advantages in transforming into an opening-up zone. Ningxia has come a long way in urbanization. It has beautiful sceneries. Irrigated by the Yellow River, Ningxia won its name "The abundant place outside the Great Wall".
Ningxia has rich tourism resources. Tourist attractions scattered along its 500 kilometre range from north to south. All of them offer beautiful sightseeing. Liu Pan Mountain lies in the southernmost sector of Ningxia. It is the last mountain that the Red Army climbed over during the Long March. We call it the "Mountain of success".