Comment on "Xinjiang hopes to prove that the west is the best" (China Daily, April 30)

The central government hopes the Special Economic Zone in Kashgar would replicate the success of Shenzhen, China's first SEZ, despite being in the notso developed Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in western China. True, Shenzhen has transformed from a fishing village to a wealthy and glitzy city. But like every other developed city in China, it has paid a price for that transformation in terms of the environment.

The environment in and around Kashgar is fragile with the Taklamakan Desert to its east and the majestic Pamirs surrounding it. The ancient city, for a long time, served as an important stop on the Silk Road. Development is welcome, but it should not extract a disproportionately high environmental price. This is something the authorities have to keep in mind.

Of course, the people of Kashgar, or for that matter the whole of Xinjiang, need better job opportunities, higher incomes and higher standards of living. But a happy life is not dependent on material comforts alone - it also depends on spiritual and environmental factors. This is something we should not forget in our pursuit of Westernstyle development.

A Reader, via e-mail

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