A national economic conference attended by China's top policy-makers has decided to accelerate coordinated development of regional economy in the coming year.

Promotion of coordinated development of different regions and gradual shrinkage of the gap between regions in term of economic development remain long-term tasks in China's modernization drive, according to the the Central Economic Work Conference, which was held in Beijing between Nov. 29 and Dec. 1.

The annual conference, held by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, sets major economic strategy and policy for the nation's economic development in 2006.

China will continue to promote cooperation between relatively developed eastern regions and underdeveloped central and western regions in the new year.

Different regions are urged develop respective pillar industries in light of national industrial policy in an effort to accelerate the pace for the formation of a regional industrial structure with rational division of labour, according to the conference.

The conference called for building of a unified national market to improve free flow of essential factors of production, which include skilled workers, equipment, funds, technologies and resources, among different regions.

All regions should expand cooperation in economy, technology and personnel. The developed regions should provide more assistance to underdeveloped regions.

The central government will take more favorable measures to support economic development in poor, border, ethnic and old revolutionary areas.

The conference called for prudent measures to speed up development of urbanization and give full play to the important role of urbanization in regional development.

Source: Xinhua