(Essential question) Xu Jieshun: What enlightenment does the "Guangxi sample" of Chinese national unity and integration have to the world?
China News Service, Nanning, December 1st, title: What enlightenment does the "Guangxi sample" of Chinese national unity and integration have on the world?
——Interview with Professor Xu Jieshun of Guangxi University for Nationalities
China News Agency reporter Jiang Xuelin and Huang Yanmei
China is a unified multi-ethnic country, and "multiple unity" is a distinctive feature of the Chinese nation.
Over the past 70 years since the founding of New China, China has successfully explored a path to resolve ethnic issues that suits China's national conditions, and has become one of the best countries in the world to resolve ethnic issues. The cause of national unity and progress has been continuously developed.
As the province with the largest ethnic minority population in China, Guangxi is in the forefront of ethnic regional autonomous areas and even the country in terms of ethnic exchanges and exchanges.
On November 19, 2021, people from all ethnic groups in Longsheng Autonomous County of Guangxi danced together in festive costumes to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the autonomous county.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Yu Jing
Xu Jieshun, a professor at the School of Ethnology and Sociology of Guangxi University for Nationalities and a doctoral tutor of anthropology at Minzu University of China, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service on "East and West Questions", on issues such as the effectiveness of the construction of the Guangxi National Unity and Progress Demonstration Zone and its enlightenment to the world. Interpretation.
Differences in the governance of ethnic issues between China and the West
China News Agency reporter: What are the differences in governance of ethnic issues between China and the West?
Xu Jieshun: In the context of a century of changes in today's world, the governance of ethnic issues is a big problem that world politicians can't get around.
Putin once said that the ethnic issue is Russia's "fundamental issue of the country."
As far as the construction of modern countries is concerned, there are huge differences between China and the West: For example, Western Europe follows a diverse path of the same structure of nations and countries, forming a Western European country of homogeneity; the three countries of the United States, Canada, and Australia follow the same structure of immigration and countries. The path of conquest of China; from the traditional "distinction between Yi and Xia" to "the republic of five ethnic groups", and then to "regional autonomy of ethnic groups", China has taken the path of harmony from ethnic diversity to national unity.
There are bound to be differences in the governance thoughts and policies of ethnic issues formed under different roads.
There are basically two types of western governance thoughts and policies on ethnic issues. One is a single-ethnic policy, one country and one ethnic group, which is basically the case in Europe; American countries and Australia.
The thinking and policy of governance on ethnic issues in China is a "big family"-style from pluralism to unity, in a nutshell, it is "multiple unity".
Since the founding of New China, the Communist Party of China has combined the basic principles of Marxist ethnic theory with the reality of China and the realities of all ethnic groups to form an ethnic policy with "ethnic equality, ethnic unity, ethnic regional autonomy, and common ethnic prosperity and development" as the basic content.
This is fundamentally different from Western countries whose ethnic policies center on mainstream groups, serve and subordinate to safeguarding the fundamental interests of the bourgeoisie.
In December 2018, the Jing people in Dongxing City, Guangxi celebrated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Hou Yu
Integrated development comes from historical choices
Reporter from China News Service: When the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was established, two plans were formed based on factors such as ethnic minority populations and regional economic characteristics.
What is the difference between the "divided" and "combined" programs?
Why did you choose the right solution in the end?
Xu Jieshun: When the construction began in 1956, the "combined plan" was to change the entire province of Guangxi into the Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The "divided plan" divides Guangxi into two parts, that is, retaining the organizational system of Guangxi Province, governing the three prefectures of Guilin, Pingle, and Rongxian in the eastern part of Guangxi Province, and the two cities of Wuzhou and Guilin; the other is mainly in the Zhuang nationality in the west of Guangxi Province. The Zhuang Autonomous Region was established in the areas where ethnic minorities live in densely populated areas, and its jurisdiction generally includes the three prefectures of Yishan (now known as Yizhou), Baise, and Yongning, and the two cities of Nanning and Liuzhou.
The difference between the "divided" and "combined" programs is whether to separate the Han from the Zhuang and other ethnic groups.
At the beginning of the establishment of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, based on the principle of “combination will benefit both, and division will result in two disadvantages”, the eastern Han population, with a small area, and a more developed economy, was relatively densely populated with the western region with a small population, large area, and economy. The backward ethnic areas are united together so that the two sides can complement each other and make progress together.
The final choice of a suitable plan is not only historically dictated, but also reflects the combination of the central policy and Guangxi’s reality, the combination of ethnic autonomy and regional autonomy, the combination of political and economic factors, and the wisdom of the people of all ethnic groups in Guangxi. It is the governing nation of Guangxi. The problem is a big deal, and it completely conforms to the historical general trend of forging the consciousness of the community of the Chinese nation.
The joint plan also encountered challenges later. In the 1980s and 1990s, there was a debate about whether economic development should be "east first and then west" or "west first and east", but the distinction between east and west was soon broken by the wave of reform and opening up. .
At the beginning of the 21st century, the West tried in vain to implement a strategy of strengthening the "independence consciousness" of the Zhuang nationality to divide the ethnic unity of Guangxi and create some trouble for China. However, it was quickly shattered in the face of the "rock-solid" "family" of all ethnic groups in Guangxi.
On the streets of Nanning, Guangxi in September 2020.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Yu Jing
"Guangxi sample" has four major experiences
China News Agency reporter: What is the core experience of China's national unity and integration "Guangxi sample"?
Xu Jieshun: Guangxi has been a multi-ethnic area since ancient times. Although different ethnic groups have different histories and origins, they have formed a tradition of tolerance and symbiosis during thousands of years of exchanges.
After the establishment of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, all ethnic groups were equal, and effective measures were taken to eliminate ethnic discrimination and ethnic estrangement, effectively breaking down the barriers to exchanges and integration of all ethnic groups, and establishing socialist ethnic relations of equality, unity, mutual assistance and harmony.
"Family of ten, love and harmony of five ethnic groups" abound.
According to the seventh national census data, households of different ethnic groups in Guangxi accounted for 42.5% of the total number of households in the district. Among them, households composed of Han and other ethnic groups and households composed of multiple other ethnic groups increased by nearly 30% compared with 2010. And nearly 25%.
"National relations" has been the most satisfactory social development index for the people of all ethnic groups in Guangxi since 1999.
At the same time of national unity and integration, the Zhuang nationality’s folk song culture, Zhuang brocade culture, bronze drum culture, as well as the Dong’s Doye culture, Yao’s Panwang culture and other national cultures have been well inherited and carried forward.
I think we can start from the artistic conception of Chinese traditional farming culture and sum up the four core experiences of the "Guangxi sample" of Chinese national unity and integration.
One is the banyan experience.
All ethnic groups in Guangxi have the same root and are connected by blood.
The various ethnic groups in Guangxi, such as the banyan tree, have thousands of branches with the same root and the same air.
In October 2020, tourists visit the ancient banyan tree in Huangyao Ancient Town in Zhaoping County, Guangxi.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Jia Tianyong
The second is sunflower experience.
All ethnic groups in Guangxi are close to each other.
The people of all ethnic groups in Guangxi are closely united like sunflowers. All ethnic groups are close to each other, and they work together to forge the sense of community of the Chinese nation.
The third is pomegranate experience.
All ethnic groups in Guangxi are closely embedded and deeply integrated.
Whether in history or at this stage, all ethnic groups in Guangxi are like pomegranate seeds, closely embedded together. You have me in you and you in me, relying on each other for fate.
The fourth is the rock experience.
As the "Xunzi Rich Country" said: "If you are famous, if you are profitable, if you are unhappy, if you don't, then the country will rest on the rock."
Guangxi adheres to the rule of law and implements precise policies to ensure national unity as a rock.
These four aspects of experience are brought together to vividly and completely present Guangxi’s successful experience as a demonstration zone for ethnic unity.
On November 30, 2021, at Wuxiang Lake Park in Nanning, Guangxi, citizens took advantage of the good weather to enjoy the city's beauty.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Guanyan
The Enlightenment of "Guangxi Sample" to the World
China News Agency reporter: What enlightenment does the "Guangxi sample" of Chinese national unity and integration have on the world?
Xu Jieshun: The governance of ethnic issues in Western society, especially multiculturalism, has encountered great challenges.
In the 21st century, European countries have begun to discuss multiculturalism policies. European politicians such as Merkel, Cameron, and Sarkozy have publicly expressed criticisms, believing that the polarization of this policy has brought about the integration of Western countries. Unintended consequences.
Guangxi has more than 230,000 square kilometers and a population of more than 50 million. There are 12 ethnic groups including the Han nationality.
The reason why the "Guangxi sample" of Chinese ethnic unity and integration is representative is that it provides a successful sample of harmonious development for ethnic symbiosis, co-living and co-prosperity.
In September 2021, Nanning City, Guangxi, the China-ASEAN Financial City, located in Wuxiang New District, is lined with tall buildings.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Huang Yanmei
The "Guangxi sample" tells the world that in global governance, national unity is life and strength.
The unity and friendship of all ethnic groups is a vivid manifestation of the harmony of a community with a shared future for mankind, and an important guarantee for the prosperity and development of the nations of the world.
In today's world, the situation has changed in a century. If a nation is not united, it may be scattered; if a country is not united, it may fall apart.
As the saying goes, the monofilament cannot form a line, and a single tree cannot form a forest.
National unity is a kind of spirit, a kind of strength, and a kind of pursuit. It plays an extremely important role in uniting people's hearts and integrating society.
(over)
About the interviewee:
Photo by Professor Xu Jieshun, Guangxi University for Nationalities, China News Agency reporter Chen Guanyan
Xu Jieshun is a professor of the School of Ethnology and Sociology of Guangxi University for Nationalities, director of the Han Nationality Research Center, and a doctoral supervisor of anthropology at Minzu University of China. He has been engaged in ethnic studies for 60 years and has formed a series of important achievements in ethnological and anthropological research. His books include " The History of the Development of the Han Nationality, the five-volume History of Han Nationality Customs, the Snowball: Anthropological Analysis of the Han Nationality, the nine-volume History of the Han Nationality, etc., were awarded the Shanghai Anthropological Society 2021 Anthropology in November 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award.