Xinjiang takes a leaf out of Sichuan's book

Partner assistance program gains fresh momentum from cash targets

Beijing - The central government has quantified the amount 19 provinces and municipalities appointed to assist the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region will contribute financially from next year, a senior official said.

"An older partner assistance program had been running in Xinjiang since 1996," said Jurat Imin, deputy Party chief of the region's Hotan prefecture, which will be partnered with Anhui province, as well as with Beijing and Tianjin municipalities.