Since the level of urbanization in northwestern ethnic regions is relatively low, local government acts as the major guide and advocate in urbanization in a certain sense. The Party’s “18th Congress” brought forward the goal of taking the road of Chinacharacteristic newtype urbanization. Moreover a new interpretation of the relationship between government and market was introduced at the 3rd session of the congress. To bring the Central Committee’s great resolution into reality, local governments in northwestern ethnic regions will shoulder special functions in the construction of newtype urbanization. Since the local governments in these regions show some realistic disadvantages in carrying out their functions in economic, political, cultural, social and ecological fields, they should speed up transformation of functions of local governments from a fivedimension perspective.

northwestern ethnic regions; newtype urbanization; governmental function