Despite noticeable progress made in the past four years, the development of China's western region remains an arduous and long-term historical task.

Governments at various levels across the country should work together in view of actual conditions and tackle ten major issues related to the overall regional development in an orderly way, so as to promote a sustainable, fast and coordinated development of the vast western area, according to a document on further developing China's west issued by the State Council Monday,

The document underlines the importance of promoting in real earnest ecological construction and environmental protection in the region to improve the local ecological environment and increase farmers' income while developing local economy.

Major efforts should be exerted on returning farmland to forest and grassland, protecting natural forest and harnessing sources of Beijing and Tianjin's sand storms, says the document.

Besides protecting surroundings of mines, supervision of important construction projects should be strengthened to improve prevention and control of industrial pollution as well as improve urban control of sewage, garbage and air pollution.

Major infrastructure construction projects, stresses the document, such as Qinghai-Tibet railway, diversion of natural gas and electricity from western to eastern regions, water conservancy works and transportation networks, says the proposals, should be paced up to lay a sound foundation for facilitating western region's development.

Western parts of major national highways should be constructed in five years and the construction of eight trunks in the region be completed by 2010.

In addition, rational tapping, utilization, conservancy and protection of water resources should remain a top priority and water conservancy works of various sizes should be built in accordance with local conditions.

The western region, says the document, should improve the construction of a comprehensive energy system to play out its strength as the country's petroleum and natural gal production and processing base and build a number of highly-effective coal production bases with high yield but low pollution.

The document underscores the importance of further improving agricultural and rural infrastructure construction to increase farmer' income and develop produces with local characteristics.

The document also calls for further adjustment of industry structure, development of energy, mining, machinery, tourism and other industries with comparative advantages, development of high-technology industry and mineral exploration as well as important resource protection in the region.

While calling for the facilitation of the development of major areas in the region to bring up a number of major cities with rapid economic growth, the document urges local governments to provide financial support to economic development zones and hi-tech zones in the region.

Moreover, the document says more efforts should be exerted toadvancing social undertakings, such as science, technology, education, sanitation and culture, and deepen economic restructuring, expand financing channels to provide capital guarantee to the development.

The central government, says the document, should keep its investment in the western region by continuing the use of construction capital like long-term construction state bonds and step up transfer payment to the region to help it expand direct and indirect financing channels.

Temporary regulations on the management of industrial investment funds should be revised and issued at a proper timing and tried out first in the western region, which should be supported in attracting investment through equity investment and enjoy a higher share in using preferential loans or grants from overseas, according to the document.

The document stresses the importance of building up a strong talents team for the western region, saying the key to the development lies in talents.

The document calls for pacing up the construction of China's legal system by drafting laws and regulations on promoting the development and supervision of western region's ecological protection.