Xi: Bolster growth of western region

President stresses important role of New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor for area

President Xi Jinping emphasized on Tuesday the need to boost the high-quality development of China's western region by pursuing higher-standard opening-up, both internally and externally, as the country advances Chinese modernization.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when presiding over a high-level symposium in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, where he made an inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday.

The western region covers Chongqing, six provinces and five autonomous regions. It includes more than 70 percent of China's land area and is home to nearly a third of the nation's population.