Senior Party official Luo Gan has urged the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China to persevere with economic development and unite the local people to maintain social stability.

Luo, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party’s Political Bureau, conducted an inspection tour of Xinjiang from August 27–31. He said that Xinjiang should bring into play its distinctive regional and resource advantages to build a solid economic base for securing local stability.

The balance between reform, development and stability lies in recognizing and safeguarding people’s interests and improving their living standards, Luo said. He pointed out that social stability should be based on both sustainable economic development and harmonious ethnic relations.

Luo reiterated the importance of implementing the Party’s policies toward minority nationalities and religions thoroughly and comprehensively. He called for adherence to the system of regional autonomy for minority nationalities and urging local governments to cultivate a contingent of cadres from both the Han and Uygur nationalities.