World Report

China Making Effort to Develop Its Western Borders

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

RALPH WENGE, CNN ANCHOR: For nearly 50 years, China has been pressing ethnic Han people to settle along its western borders. The reason: to increase its influence in these primarily Muslim areas.

ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: Now, Beijing is focusing its efforts on developing the poorer western region.

China's Central Television reports on how they're trying to do that.

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HAN BIN, CCTV REPORTER (voice-over): 67-year-old Chen Jian-Ming (ph) and his 62-year-old wife Gung Zhoee (ph) live quietly in a common residential area in (UNINTELLIGIBLE), central Jiangxi (ph). They are among the first group of people who came from eastern China to help develop the region after the People's Republic was founded. They have been living in Jianxi for 50 years.

(MUSIC)

This song was popular at that time. It encouraged millions of people just like Gung Zhoee to join the Western Development Army. The lyrics say use your hands to build the border areas to be more stable and prosperous.

HAN: Chen Jian-Ming recalls that when he arrived in Jiangxi in 1951, the region was mainly wilderness. He was only 18 at the time. He and hundreds of demobilized (ph), the soldiers and graduates, responded to the government's call to clear land and establish farms. They were motivated by their desire to build communism and develop the border areas.

He was elected as a model worker many times. He still cherishes certificates and regards them as his most valuable treasures. The couple says that the government's new policy to develop the west will provide Jiangxi a second chance at extensive development.

They hope that today's young people should bear the hardship of developing the west with the same spirit they had when they were young.

Compared with the bitterness they experienced, the older generation thinks life today for young people is too sweet. The living conditions of Chen Jian-Ming's children have been greatly improved. This is the home of his second son, an entrepreneur.

Chen Jianhau says that he can hardly understand his parents' sacrifice. He admires what they did, but he says it's difficult for today's young people not to be concerned for personal gains and losses. And what young people like him care about most nowadays is how to speed up modernization in his home town.

Chen Jianhau is taking action. With the knowledge he gained in eastern China, he has contracted 12 hectares of fish ponds and hopes to have a good harvest.

Like most young people struggling for a better life, he welcomes the policy to develop the west. He says this will also boost Jiangxi's overall economic development and create more business opportunities.

CHEN JIANHAU, VILLAGER (through translator): There is a great difference between the current and previous development pushes. The old generation mainly relies on manual labor and hard work. However, our generation must use advanced technology and skills to develop the region.

HAN: Chen Jianhau is ambitious. He plans to enlarge his fish pond to be the largest in his home town. He says that his parents may not see the day when Jiangxi catches up with the east, but he hopes that through his efforts his children will.

This is Han Bin of China Central Television for CNN WORLD REPORT.

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