By Liu Yong, DRC

“The Plan for the Revitalization and Development of the Old Revolutionary Base Areas in Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces” aims at making pilot practice for the rational exploitation and protection of the hilly areas in the two provinces and it will play an important role in guiding the revitalization of old revolutionary base areas in China. China’s regional economy is experiencing a critical period of the space-market integration of production factors and the deepening of rational division of labor of regional industry. The further exploration of the economic development strategy for the hilly areas is a major task during the coordinated and synergistic development of regional economy in China.

First, the old revolutionary base areas in Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces hold a unique and important position in the western region due to their contribution to China’s revolution, their abundance in natural resources and huge development potential, as well as their special geographical location, namely they are located in the convergence region of the key development zones of the Sichuan Basin, the Central Shanxi Plain and the plain areas in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Second, in line with the requirement for western development in the new era, the revitalization and development of the old revolutionary base areas in Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces are beneficial to the development in contiguous poor areas and the implementation of poverty alleviation project with targeted policy measures. What’s more, it is the government’s responsibility to revitalize the old revolutionary base areas in Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces.

Third, six strategies for the revitalization and development of the old revolutionary base areas in Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces are as follows: 1. We need to adhere to the principle of taking development as the top priority, follow the reform and opening up guideline, promote regional cooperation, intensify efforts to streamline administration, delegate more powers and improve regulations, break the administrative division, construct an integrated market, and create a fair environment for market competition so as to enhance the driving force for the production and development of old revolutionary base areas. 2. We need to break the bottlenecks restricting infrastructure construction in old revolutionary base areas and strengthen the construction of transportation, energy industry, water conservancy project, and network and communication. 3. We need to actively develop distinctive industries, develop in an orderly manner competitive mineral resources, the agricultural product processing industry, industrial equipment, tourism and trade, and support rural migrant workers to start businesses in their hometowns. 4. We need to accelerate poverty alleviation project, give strong backing to two-way flow of population, encourage large scale business operation, and intensify the policy enforcement of providing job opportunities to people in place of relief subsidies. 5. We need to give support by all social circles to the revitalization of old revolutionary base areas. 6. We need to help people tap into their potential for development so as to lift themselves out of poverty and set out on a road to prosperity in the old revolutionary base areas in Sichuan Shaanxi Provinces.

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