China's far west Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region recorded 10.7% economic growth in the first half, 2.9% higher than the national growth rate, according to the local authorities of Xinjiang.
Xinjiang realized a gross domestic product (GDP) of 260.1 billion yuan (41.2 billion U.S. dollars) from January to June, 10.7% higher than the previous year.
The industrial value-added output in Xinjiang during the first half reached 125 billion yuan, up 11.2% from last year. The non-oil sector recorded a growth rate of 18.2%.
With the support from the central government, the fixed assets investment volume in the first half year reached 191.58 billion yuan, up 33.7% than the previous year.
The Consumer Price Index jumped 4.2% over last year.
The cash income of farmers in Xinjiang in the first half of this year was 2,867 yuan, 20% higher than last year.
Xinjiang covers an area of 1.66 million square kilometers, making it China's largest provincial-level administrative region. Since 2010, China has been pushing for greater opening-up of the resource-rich and strategically-located Xinjiang, aiming to transform it into a regional economic hub from a relatively underdeveloped desert region.
