The development of China’s western regions still has a long way to run, according to the latest Blue Book of the Western Region of China. Despite massive infrastructure investment and exploitation of its significant natural resources, the economy of west China still lags behind the national average.

The region’s economy made up only 17.8 per cent of China’s total in 2008 and its average GDP per capita was only 41.1 per cent of that in the east. Individual incomes are also much lower. Eight western provinces were among the 10 lowest income areas in 2007. Gansu province recorded the lowest average income, with people there earning 42.3 per cent of the average figure in Shanghai.

The Blue Book was compiled by the Centre for Studies of China Western Economic Development at Northwest University in Xian, Shaanxi province.