The central government has injected some 260 billion yuan (31.3 billion US dollars) into developing China's vast western areas in the last three years, according to data obtained Tuesday at the media center of the ongoing 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Of the total, about 200 billion yuan (24 billion dollars) were allocated for infrastructure, 50 billion yuan (6 billion dollars) for environmental protection, while over 10 billion (1.2 billion dollars) went to social undertakings.

In addition, 160 billion yuan (19 billion dollars), or over one-third of the long-term state treasury bonds was used for western development. The central government also transferred 300 billion yuan (36 billion dollars) of payment to the western areas. Moreover, outstanding loans from financial institutions in the western region increased by more than 600 billion yuan (72 billion dollars) in the three years.