Officials of a delegation from central government had praised local residents for economic and social achievements in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Wednesday.

The officials made the remarks during their visits to the rural areas of the region as part of the trip for celebrating its 50th anniversary of founding.

He Guoqiang, head of the delegation and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, led a team of the delegation to Guyuan, a remote and poor area of the region.

He encouraged local students of Hui Ethnic Group to study hard and would make contributions to the country. He also asked local authorities to provide adequate support to education.

Hui Liangyu, deputy head of the delegation, led one third of the delegates to a county in the region's central part and encouraged the county's officials to create more business opportunities for local households.

In another team to the region's north part, Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, asked local officials to keep the balance of economic growth and environmental protection.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2008)