Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday that China had made great achievements in developing its western regions in the last 10 years and it would unswervingly stick to the strategy adopted in 2000.

Wen also said the government was willing to continue cooperating with other economies in promoting the development.

Wen made the remarks in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Tenth Western China International Economy and Trade Fair and the Second West China International Cooperation Forum in Chengdu.

"Since last year, China's western regions have suffered the double blow of a big natural disaster and the global economic crisis. In a basket of measures to cope with the economic crisis, China continues unswervingly to push forward with the West Development Strategy," he said.

More than 43 percent of investment allocated by the central government to expand domestic demand has been used for projects to improve living standards, infrastructure projects, post-disaster reconstruction and technological innovation in western regions, he said.

In the first half, total gross domestic product in the western regions achieved an annualized growth rate of 11.8 percent, he added. Nationally, the economy expanded 7.1 percent over the same period.

The five-day fair, also known as West China Expo, is co-sponsored by departments of the central government and 12 western provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

The West Development Strategy is a policy adopted by the Chinese government in January 2000 to help underdeveloped western region catch up with the more prosperous eastern region.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2009)