West China provides important ecological services to the rest of the country, and has attracted great attention because of its serious ecological degradation and frequent natural disasters, and its strong connection with the industrial and economic development in East China. In order to strengthen ecological restoration and promote sustainable economic development in West China, the Chinese government adopted the Western Development Policy, which offered financial aid to and initiated a large number of projects in the region. Although many previous studies have emphasized the positive effects of ecological restoration in West China on ecological security and sustainable development of China, relatively less attention has been paid to analyzing multiple conflicts related to sustainable development in the region. This paper examines the main development goals and interests that have caused these conflicts. The authors suggest that integrated conflict management should be carried out for the sustainable development in West China.
