Zhou Yongkang (L), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee, speaks in a symposium in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sept. 24, 2010. In the symposiums held in Xinjiang's prefectures of Kashgar and Ili on Wednesday and Friday respectively, Zhou has called for more efforts in pairing assistance with the western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, highlighting priorities in housing projects, bilingual education and the building of economic development zones. Photo: Xinhua

Senior Chinese leader Zhou Yongkang has called for more efforts in pairing assistance with the western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, highlighting priorities in housing projects, bilingual education and the building of economic development zones.

Industries with local features such as fruit production and cultivation and the building trade should be developed in line with local conditions, said Zhou, a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told symposiums in the Xinjiang's prefectures of Kashgar and IIi on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.

Vocational training should also be enhanced, he said.

Zhou said efforts should be made to tackle the shortage of bilingual teachers and to select more bilingual teachers from other provinces to teach in Xinjiang.

The building of bilingual kindergartens and schools would "ensure ethnic minority students to have better education."

Zhou said the economic development zones of Kashgar and Khorgos should be built into "west China's windows for opening up."

He said more talented people should be introduced to the region to contribute to Xinjiang's development.

The "pairing assistance" support projects in Xinjiang involve 19 provinces and municipalities, with more than 3 billion yuan (440 million U.S. dollars) and 150 pilot projects in the region.

Photo taken on Sept. 22, 2010 shows Zhou Yongkang (2nd R), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee, shakes hands with local residents in Altay, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In the symposiums held in Xinjiang's prefectures of Kashgar and Ili on Wednesday and Friday respectively, Zhou has called for more efforts in pairing assistance with the western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, highlighting priorities in housing projects, bilingual education and the building of economic development zones. Photo: Xinhua

Photo taken on Sept. 21, 2010 shows Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee, talks to people during his inspection tour to Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In the symposiums held in Xinjiang's prefectures of Kashgar and Ili on Wednesday and Friday respectively, Zhou has called for more efforts in pairing assistance with the western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, highlighting priorities in housing projects, bilingual education and the building of economic development zones. Photo: Xinhua

Photo taken on Sept. 20, 2010 shows Zhou Yongkang (R, front), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee, shakes hands with students and teachers in Tarim University in Alar city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In the symposiums held in Xinjiang's prefectures of Kashgar and Ili on Wednesday and Friday respectively, Zhou has called for more efforts in pairing assistance with the western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, highlighting priorities in housing projects, bilingual education and the building of economic development zones. Photo: Xinhua