“西部大开发”战略是党的第三代领导集体在世纪之交审时度势作出的具有战略性、前瞻性、全局性的重大决策,是21世纪振兴中华民族的伟大战略。这一战略的作出既是对知识经济挑战的积极回应,也是中国现代化的必然选择。西部大开发:知识经济挑战的积极回应21世纪是知识经济的时代。知识经济的兴起正在以革命的方式改变着人们关于经济发展的观念和对未来经济形势变化的判断。以信息产业和生物科学为重点的高新技术迅速发展,新的经济增长点日益壮大。我国广大西部地区,在东部地区已成为发展知识经济的首先区位时,相当程度上还停留在传统经济阶段或 The “Western Development” strategy is a strategic, forward-looking and overall major decision made by the party’s third-generation leadership at the cross-examination of the new century. It is a great strategy for rejuvenating the Chinese nation in the 21st century. This strategy is both a positive response to the challenge of knowledge economy and an inevitable choice for China’s modernization. Western Development: A Positive Response to the Challenge of Knowledge Economy The 21st century is an era of knowledge economy. The rise of a knowledge-based economy is changing people’s perceptions of economic development and judgments about changes in the future economic situation in a revolutionary way. High-tech industries with a focus on the information industry and biological sciences have developed rapidly, and new economic growth points have grown increasingly. In the vast western part of our country, when the eastern region has become the first place for developing a knowledge-based economy, it still remains in the traditional economic stage to a certain extent or