BEIJING, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese officials on Wednesday vowed to continue assistance to Xinjiang to maintain stability and prosperity in the northwestern region.

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said the aid should help create jobs, improve education and infrastructure, while strengthening anti-terrorism capacity.

Efforts should be made to bind local people together, increase communication and exchanges between different ethnic groups, and win the trust of the grassroots, Yu added.

He urged officials to improve bilingual education in Xinjiang and help students from ethnic minorities receive education outside the region.

At the meeting, vice premier Zhang Gaoli asked for concerted efforts to alleviate poverty in Xinjiang, particularly the southern part of the region.

After the conference, Yu visited the Cultural Palace of Nationalities to see an exhibition of achievements by Xinjiang in the past six decades.