President Jiang Zemin Friday urged the country's radio, film and television workers to continue their efforts to provide the country's western regions with a good service.
Increased radio and television coverage in the west, especially in the Tibet and Xinjiang autonomous regions will help propel economic development and maintain social stability there, noted Jiang.
Such efforts will also promote understanding between various ethnic minorities there and increase the unity between them, he said.
Jiang's comments yesterday came as he was inspecting the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television in Beijing.
Since September 2000, the administration -- along with its provincial branches -- has been striving to increase radio and television coverage in the country's western regions, with the emphasis on enabling China's ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang and Tibet autonomous regions to get more enjoyment from the programmes.
Some radio and television transmitters have been set up in the two western autonomous regions over the past year, with financial support from the central government.
More are to be set up this year, according to the administration's schedule.
Good radio and television programmes with original content can greatly inspire people there to join the country's ambitious strategy of developing the west, said Jiang.
(China Daily February 3, 2002)
