[Explanation] How effective is China's ethnic policy?
Do ethnic minorities have substantial ethnic regional autonomy?
On December 4, at a press conference held by the Information Office of the State Council, Xu You, deputy minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, responded with facts and statistics.
[Explanation] China is a unified multi-ethnic country. Xu Yousheng pointed out that under the unified leadership of the country, areas where ethnic minorities live in concentrated areas exercise regional autonomy, establish autonomous agencies, and exercise the power of autonomy.
[Concurrent] Xu Yousheng, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Up to now, China has established a total of 155 ethnic autonomous areas, including 5 autonomous regions, 30 autonomous prefectures, and 120 autonomous counties or autonomous flags.
The administrative area of ethnic autonomous areas accounts for 64% of the total area of the country.
[Explanation] Xu Yousheng pointed out that the fundamental purpose of implementing the system of ethnic regional autonomy is to maintain national unity and ethnic unity, and the organs of self-government in various ethnic autonomous areas must obey the unified leadership of the central government.
On this basis, according to law, people of all ethnic groups are guaranteed to enjoy equal rights and fulfill equal obligations, support all ethnic groups to develop their economy, improve people's livelihood, achieve common development and common prosperity, and fully exercise their autonomy.
[Concurrent] Xu Yousheng, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
The autonomy of ethnic autonomous areas mainly includes: legislative power, economic development power, financial management power, the right to cultivate and use ethnic cadres, the right to develop education, science and technology, and culture, and the right to use language.
[Explanation] Xu Yousheng introduced that at present, in the standing committees of the people’s congresses of 155 ethnic autonomous areas, citizens of the ethnic groups that implement regional ethnic autonomy are all serving as directors or deputy directors; The head of the flag shall be all citizens of the ethnic group exercising regional autonomy.
[Concurrent] Xu Yousheng, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Practice has proved that China's implementation of the system of ethnic regional autonomy is not only conducive to national unity, ethnic unity and social stability, but also conducive to the development and progress of ethnic minorities and the long-term stability of the country.
[Explanation] Xu Yousheng gives a set of data.
He introduced that in the nine years from 2012 to 2020, the regional GDP of the five autonomous regions of Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, Tibet, Ningxia, and Xinjiang and the three multi-ethnic provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Qinghai increased from 5.1 trillion yuan to 10.4 trillion yuan. The per capita GDP increased from 27,000 yuan to 52,000 yuan; the urbanization rate increased from 43.1% to 55.1%.
All 31.21 million impoverished people in ethnic minority areas have been lifted out of poverty, and 420 state-level impoverished counties in ethnic autonomous areas have all taken their hats off, and together with the whole country, they have achieved a well-off society in an all-round way.
[Concurrent] Xu Yousheng, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
It should be said that whether the system of regional ethnic autonomy is good or not, the Chinese people have the most say.
The development and progress of ethnic areas, and the tangible data of people of all ethnic groups living a good life are the best and most resounding answers.
Reporter Liu Chaowang reports from Expo Beijing
Editor in charge: [Liu Xian]