BEIJING, March 7 -- President Jiang Zemin stressed national unity and called for greater efforts to safeguard social stability, quicken economic development and social progress in areas inhabited by ethnic minorities.

Jiang made the remark today in separate group discussions attended by deputies to the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC) from the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

With equal emphasis on reform and development on one hand and solidarity and stability on the other by the local government, Tibet has achieved remarkable economic growth and social progress since the third national conference on Tibet-related work was held in 1994, Jiang said.

"We have won significant victory in the fight against splittism in Tibet. The region has maintained social and political stability and the people there are living a happy life," he said.

Facts have shown that our autonomous system implemented in ethnic areas and the ethnic and religious policies of the Communist Party of China are correct, the president said.

"If we compare the old Tibet with the new, anyone who respects facts can make a fair judgment which is dark, backward, autocratic and trampling on human rights and which is bright, progressive, democratic and respecting human rights," Jiang said.

The great achievements scored in economic and social fields in Tibet since liberation show that only the region practises democratic reform, takes the socialist road and sticks to reforms can Tibet be saved, developed and made prosperous, he said.

China is a big family composed of 56 ethnic groups. For years, people of all nationalities have a close relationship, are united and work for the Chinese nation.

This is an important driving force for enriching the Chinese civilization and a source for the strong vitality, cohesiveness and creativeness of the Chinese nation, Jiang said.

In the long period of revolution and construction led by the Communist Party of China, officials and the broad masses of people of all ethnic groups have made their due contributions. They cooperate with, support, complement and improve one another. This is an important advantage for strengthening national unity, and promoting the common development and prosperity of all ethnic groups.

While joining in the panel discussion of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional delegation, Jiang noted that at present, Xinjiang enjoys social and political stability, economic prosperity, ethnic unity and a solid defense at its frontier regions, and that people of all ethnic groups there enjoy a contented and happy life.

He highly praised officials and people of various ethnic groups in Xinjiang for contributing greatly to the region's stability and development.

After hearing speeches of several Xinjiang deputies, Jiang put forth his suggestions for the work in Xinjiang.

He stressed the importance of resolutely maintaining stability in Xinjiang, which he described as a region with great strategic significance in northwest China and also with a concentration of multiple ethnic groups.

"Keeping social and political stability in this region has a bearing on the overall situation," he said, adding that the Party Central Committee has attached great importance to Xinjiang's stability and development and has repeatedly discussed about relevant work in Xinjiang.

He said that facts have proved the correctness of the decision made by the Party Central Committee concerning the work in Xinjiang, and that the autonomous regional Party committee and government have carried out in real earnest the Party Central Committee's relevant policies for the region.

However, he said, there remains a lot of hard work to do in maintaining stability in Xinjiang, and that it's still an arduous task to oppose ethnic separation, maintain ethnic unity and safeguard national unity.

"The tree may prefer calm, but the wind will not subside. It will be a long-term task to fight splittism," Jiang said.

He urged leading officials across Xinjiang to uphold the Party's ethnic and religious policies and implement the essence of the central government regarding the autonomous region's work down to the grassroots levels.

On the local economic and social growth, Jiang said Xinjiang has abundant resources and good prospects for development.

The central government has made Xinjiang an area to maintain China's sustained and rapid economic growth in the development strategy for the period of the Ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000) and first 10 years in the next century, he said.

The central government has decided to turn Xinjiang into a major petrochemical and cotton production base, he said.

Besides, Xinjiang has rich nonferrous mineral resources, he added. These are favorable conditions in promoting Xinjiang's development.

He expressed his belief that Xinjiang can catch up with other provinces and autonomous regions in economic growth, and overtake them and charged itself to the forefront in China's modernization drive.

"The central government will, as always, give a powerful backing to the region's work," he said while expressing his hope that the cadres and masses of multi-ethnical people can work to maintain unity and conduct in depth-reform so as to effect a rise in Xinjiang's economic development and social progress.