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Speakers:

Zhao Yong, vice minister of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission

Hua Yanlong, director general of the Bureau of Ethnic Work of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee

Zhang Mou, director general of the Bureau of Policies and Regulations of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission

Guo Jianmin, director general of the Bureau of Culture and Publicity of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission

Chairperson:

Xing Huina, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee

Date:

Aug. 17, 2022

Xing Huina:

Friends from the press, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 20th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade" to brief you on the achievements and measures on ethnic unity and progress in the new era. Joining us today are Mr. Zhao Yong, vice minister of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission; Mr. Hua Yanlong, director general of the Bureau of Ethnic Work of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee; Mr. Zhang Mou, director general of the Bureau of Policies and Regulations of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission; and Mr. Guo Jianmin, director general of the Bureau of Culture and Publicity of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission.

Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Zhao for his introduction.

Zhao Yong:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. First, on behalf of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, I would like to express my thanks for your interest in the work related to Chinese ethnic unity and progress. Before your questions, please allow me to briefly introduce the development of Chinese ethnic unity and progress in the past decade.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made overall planning of and promoted the Party's ethnic work in the new era from the strategic perspective of adhering to and developing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, focused on forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, and made historic achievements in advancing ethnic unity and progress. These achievements can be summarized from the following five aspects:

First, establishing the new thought. With the broad vision and great wisdom of a Marxist statesman, thinker and strategist, General Secretary Xi Jinping has adapted the Marxist ethnic theory to China's realities and fine traditional Chinese culture, put forward a series of new thoughts, philosophies and strategies, and formed his important thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work. The thought systematically explains the strategic importance, historical position, main focus, important tasks, work paradigm, rules and methods of ethnic work, and gives scientific answers to major theoretical and practical problems of how to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people and pool strength to realize national rejuvenation. It profoundly expounds the rules underlying the formation and development of the Chinese national community, and reveals the bright prospects of the Chinese nation striving for a more widely recognized and united community with a shared future. With its theoretical and practical guidance and its positive global influence, the thought sets a clear direction and provides a fundamental guideline for the Party's ethnic work in the new era.

Second, identifying the new focus. Forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people has been taken as the main task of the Party's ethnic work in the new era. It is the guiding principle and fundamental guideline for formulating policies and plans, a core philosophy integrated into all aspects of the work, and a fundamental criterion and an important aspect in assessing the work. The main task has made our ethnic work focus more on enhancing common ground and building the Chinese national community, and progressed the work to a new stage.

Third, taking on a new look. In the past decade, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally conducted ethnic work, made multiple visits to ethnic minority areas, and reiterated that no ethnic group should be left behind in the country's fight against poverty, in its building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and in its drive toward modernization. Under the care and strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, all 31.21 million people in ethnic minority areas have been lifted out of poverty. The whole nation, ethnic minority areas included, has achieved a victory in the poverty alleviation fight, and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The ethnic minority groups, the places where they live, and ethnic relations have all taken on a new look. Some ethnic groups, who entered the socialist society directly from "primitive society," has once again realized the leapfrog development from poverty to moderate prosperity. We have made many investigations in ethnic minority areas, and seen how people now drink sweet tap water rather than bitter cellar water, and live in new brick houses rather than mud-built dwellings. Expressways and high-speed railways are accessible, children go to nearby schools, and residents have easy access to medical services. People there all wear big smiles and are grateful to the general secretary and the CPC.

Fourth, pooling new strength. In the past decade, people of all ethnic groups went through the hard work of alleviating poverty and building a moderately prosperous society, enjoyed strategic achievements made in epidemic control, and celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the centenary of the CPC's founding. We have realized that the national rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is an irresistible trend. All of these have inspired the patriotism of all ethnic groups and the confidence and sense of pride of all Chinese people, and intensified a strong sense of community among them. The support among all ethnic groups for the country, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the CPC, and socialism with Chinese characteristics has reached an unprecedentedly high level. This can be vividly described with the phrase, "The Chinese people are a family jointly realizing the Chinese Dream."

Fifth, forming a new paradigm. Ethnic work is related to all aspects of society. The CPC Central Committee has integrated ethnic work into the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy. It has formed a paradigm where ethnic work is carried out under the unified leadership of the Party Committee and managed by the government according to law, with the United Front Work Department responsible for the coordination work, ethnic work departments performing their duties, various departments making joint efforts, and the whole of society participating. Under this paradigm, local Party committees have included ethnic work in the system of responsibility for Party building and ideological work, and in political inspections, disciplinary inspections and government performance assessments, thus forming a strong synergy on this front. In doing so, we have ensured that people of all ethnic groups are participants, contributors, beneficiaries and judges of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and provided a solid political guarantee for the high-quality development of the Party's ethnic work in the new era.

Over the past decade, we have made historic achievements and seen historical changes in ethnic unity and progress, thanks to the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping at the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole Party, and the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. On the new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects, we will faithfully implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, enhance the building of the Chinese national community, promote the high-quality development of the Party's ethnic work in the new era, and contribute to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

That is all for my introduction. Now, we are ready to answer your questions.

Xing Huina:

Thank you, Mr. Zhao for your introduction. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising your questions.

CCTV:

Most countries in the world are multi-ethnic and different countries have different ways of dealing with ethnic affairs. As a unified multi-ethnic country with 56 ethnic groups and a population of more than 1.4 billion, China has followed the policies of ethnic equality, ethnic unity, regional ethnic autonomy, and common prosperity and development of all ethnic groups. What's your opinion on China's path for handling ethnic affairs?

Zhao Yong:

Thank you for your question. You have a rather systematic view on this issue, and you raised a good question. Looking back on the Party's century-long journey, the most outstanding achievement of our work on ethnic affairs is that we have found the right path for managing ethnic affairs with Chinese characteristics. The great practice after the 18th CPC National Congress has enriched and expanded this path. The Chinese characteristics of this path are reflected in several aspects:

The first characteristic is the leadership of the CPC. The CPC is the backbone of the people of all ethnic groups in China. The leadership of the CPC is the essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the fundamental guarantee for doing well in our work on ethnic affairs. The practice has proved that only the leadership of the CPC can bring all ethnic groups together and take all ethnic groups toward common prosperity and development.

The second characteristic is equality among all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups in China are equal regardless of population, history, or stage of development. This equality is genuine, comprehensive, and complete. The legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups are fully guaranteed, and the human rights situation of ethnic minorities in China is at its best in history.

The third characteristic is the system of regional ethnic autonomy. It is a basic political system of China and an incredible creation of the CPC. Moreover, this system not only fundamentally safeguards national unity and ethnic solidarity, but also dramatically mobilizes the enthusiasm and creativity of ethnic autonomous regions to develop their motherland and hometowns.

The fourth characteristic is the Chinese national community. This path is built on the Chinese national community, which has been formed and developed for over 5,000 years. The relationship between the Chinese nation and ethnic groups is between a big family and family members. The relationship among ethnic groups is among family members of one big family. We need to not only ensure all ethnic groups' development, but also build and develop the community as a big family.

The fifth characteristic is pursuing common prosperity and development. The goal followed by this path is to deliver a better life for all ethnic groups.The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is not a reappearance of any dynasty in history. Instead, it encourages the 56 ethnic groups to move towards socialist modernization together, create a bright future for the Chinese nation and enjoy the great glory of national rejuvenation together. The practice has proved that this path is a road of equality to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups, a road of unity to promote exchanges and communication among all ethnic groups, and a road toward prosperity that helps all ethnic groups develop together. Ultimately, it is a path of rejuvenation for the Chinese nation toward a community of shared future with greater recognition and cohesion. We will unswervingly follow this path.

N Video from Southern Metropolis Daily:

The CPC Central Committee stressed that it is necessary to promote cultural inheritance, protection, and innovation of all ethnic groups while enhancing their identity with the Chinese culture. What has been done in this regard over the past decade? Thank you.

Zhao Yong:

I will invite Guo Jianmin, director general of the Bureau of Culture and Publicity of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, to take this question.

Guo Jianmin:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important proposals and instructions on adhering to Chinese culture, bolstering confidence in Chinese culture, fostering shared cultural identity, and promoting the inheritance, protection, and innovation of the cultures of all ethnic groups in China. He has made specific deployments at important conferences including the central conference on ethnic affairs and attended significant cultural events, such as the National Ethnic Minority Arts Festival. During his visits in ethnic minority areas, he has been concerned about developing many ethnic and cultural projects, such as Miao embroidery, the Lunar March 3 Festival, and the Manas opera, which greatly inspired and encouraged the people of all ethnic groups. Government departments at all levels have earnestly implemented the decisions of the CPC Central Committee. With the main task of fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, we have revised and enacted laws and regulations, such as the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics and the Law on Guaranteeing Public Cultural Services, and formulated policy plans for cultural development during the 13th and 14th Five-Year Plan periods. A series of major cultural projects have been conducted, including the inheritance and development of fine traditional Chinese culture, the inheritance of revolutionary tradition, and those to benefit the public. A series of major cultural activities have been held, including the National Ethnic Minority Arts Festival, the National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities, and the Steed Award for ethnic minority writers. We have actively built unique platforms for festivals and folk customs, exhibitions and performances, and cultural tourism. We have made solid progress in inheriting, protecting, and innovating the cultures of all ethnic groups. People of all ethnic groups in China have become more passionate about, prouder of, and more confident in Chinese culture, and the "five identities" have been greatly enhanced.

In 2019, more than 10,000 athletes, coaches, and referees of all ethnic groups attended the 11th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities. Most of them were farmers, herders, students, and workers, and for many of them, it was the first time they had left home, walked out of the mountains, and come into big cities. Athletes from different ethnic groups participated in the same competitions, such as dragon boat racing and top-spinning. Many excellent elements of traditional Chinese culture were displayed at the opening and closing ceremonies, such as Tai Chi and Kam Grand Choir. Young people of all ethnic groups participated in the activities and enjoyed the beautiful scenery during the performance gala. Therefore, the people of all ethnic groups praised the Games as a grand mass participation sports event promoting exchanges and interaction among all ethnic groups, and a demonstration of the solidarity of the Chinese nation. Thanks.

Cover News:

Ethnic minority areas used to be the difficulty and priority of poverty alleviation. Can you talk about what historic changes have been brought about by poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity? What initiatives will be taken to promote all ethnic groups to achieve modernization together? Thank you.

Zhao Yong:

Thank you for your attention to development and reform in ethnic minority areas. Just as you have mentioned, poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity have brought historic changes to ethnic minority areas, which can be concluded in the following aspects:

First, the living standards of people of all ethnic groups have been greatly improved. Through poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity, people of all ethnic groups have more stable jobs and more satisfactory incomes. And they enjoy better public health services and better living environments. Over the decade, in ethnic minority areas, the average annual growth of per capita disposable income of urban residents is 7.7%, with that of rural residents being 10.2%. Poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity have enabled countless people to change fate, realize dreams, and achieve happiness. Now the average life expectancy in ethnic minority areas has increased significantly, with the average life expectancy in Tibet having increased by a full four years over the decade.

Second, great changes have taken place in the mindsets of people of all ethnic groups. Some people used to wait for external assistance in the past, but now they are motivated to rely on their own efforts to strive for prosperity. Some people used to make a living only by farming, but now they leave their hometown and seek jobs elsewhere. Changes in mindsets have profoundly changed people's lifestyles and their way of production. They now have access to flush toilets and the internet. And farming has been mostly mechanized. It can be said that now people of all ethnic groups are more confident and more motivated.

Third, the momentum of development in ethnic minority areas has been greatly enhanced. In the process of eliminating poverty and achieving moderate prosperity, a great number of infrastructures have been built, with an increase of 15,800 kilometers of railway in the five autonomous regions of Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, Tibet, Ningxia and Xinjiang and the three provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan and Qinghai over the decade, which was beyond imagination in the past. With a group of industrial parks built and a number of industrial projects developed, the basis for sustained growth has become increasingly stronger. I visited Jingning She autonomous county of Zhejiang province, and learned that it is relatively backward in Zhejiang. They built an "enclave" industrial park next to Lishui. The tax revenues generated by the industrial park last year accounted for 36% of the tax revenues of the whole county, and the industrial park contributed to nearly half of the whole county's value added of industrial enterprises above designated size. With the development of the "enclave" industrial park, they have pioneered a path of development by drawing on the resources of others. Much of the south Xinjiang used to be sandy and rocky areas. Now by developing modern agriculture, planting, and breeding industry, it has become famous nationwide for producing fruits. I also saw that in the old town of Kashi, some people have led a happy life by developing tourism depending on buildings with Uygur characteristics.

Fourth, the foundation for the Party's governance in ethnic minority areas has become more solid. Last year, I visited Pumajiangtang Township, Shannan City, Tibet, a township with the highest altitude in China. The local people told me that the township used to be inaccessible and people led a very hard life. They lived in adobe houses. What I saw in my visit this time were brand-new residential buildings and clean roads. People's houses were fully-equipped with furniture and were very neat. They have all lived a happy life. There was one household posting a couplet on the door, saying that just as we should never forget the people who dig the well for us to drink water, we should also never forget the CPC for lifting us out of poverty. I believe that the couplet expresses their aspirations. Poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity have greatly enhanced the authority of the Party among the people, and built closer relations between the Party and the people and between officials and the people, making the public, social, and political foundation for the Party's governance more solid.

Fifth, socialist ethnic relations have been strengthened. Now the people of all ethnic groups assist, admire, and support each other. Such stories can be found everywhere. Many cities have residents of all 56 ethnic groups, and there are an increasing number of families consisting of members from different ethnic groups. In Xinjiang, 1.1 million officials have paired up with over 1.6 million households of ethnic minority groups as "relatives," writing the touching stories of the Chinse nation uniting as a big family in the new era.

The Chinese nation units as a big family, and all family members must live better lives. Next, we will act upon the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and promote ethnic minority areas in the new development stage to follow the new development philosophy and integrate into the new development paradigm. We will focus on three key areas of development of industries, infrastructure, and ecological shields to achieve high-quality development in ethnic minority areas and further refine the differentiated policies in support of regional development to advance rural revitalization in ethnic minority areas. Among the 160 key counties to receive assistance in pursuing rural revitalization, 114 are in ethnic autonomous areas. We will fully carry out the action plan to bring prosperity to border areas and their residents. In particular, we will ensure that all the reforms and development demonstrate a sense of community among the Chinese people. How to implement it? When selecting a project, we should not only focus on its contribution to economic growth but also on its contribution to increasing jobs and improving the people's wellbeing and on whether it is conducive to forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. When assessing the feasibility of the project, we should take whether it is conducive to forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people as an important criterion. When implementing the project, we should provide jobs for local people of all ethnic groups as much as possible to promote exchanges, interactions, and integration among ethnic groups. When evaluating the project, we should focus not only on financial returns and ecological benefits but also if it contributes to forging a sense of community among the Chinese people. In short, concrete and effective measures should be taken to promote all ethnic groups to achieve socialist modernization together. In the past, the toughest mission in poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity was in ethnic minority areas. Now the toughest mission of realizing modernization is also in ethnic minority areas. We are confident and capable of cracking this "hardest nut."

Thank you.

Lianhe Zaobao:

In recent years, China has been promoting the use of standard Chinese in ethnic minority areas such as Xinjiang and Tibet. Some people believe that this might be detrimental to the development of ethnic minority languages and cultures. What's your response to that? How does China protect ethnic minority languages and cultures? Thank you.

Zhao Yong:

Thank you for your attention to Xinjiang, Tibet, and ethnic minority areas in general. I have noticed that some Western media have made a lot of interpretations over a period of time, some of which may not know the facts, but it is also possible that some of them may have ulterior motives. In fact, China's Constitution and Law on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language explicitly stipulate the legal status of popularizing modern standard Chinese and protecting the rights of ethnic minorities to learn and use their own languages. While popularizing standard Chinese in accordance with the law, the Chinese government fully respects and protects the freedom of ethnic minorities to use their own languages, creating conditions for them to learn and use their own languages. In terms of learning, we have set courses of standard spoken and written Chinese in primary and middle schools. At the same time, we also set courses of spoken and written languages of ethnic minorities, especially in ethnic autonomous areas. And it is generally the case in areas where ethnic minority populations are concentrated. Ethnic minority people who want to learn their own languages all have the chance to learn and use their own languages. For those who have left school and entered society but have not yet been proficient in standard Chinese, we also offered training on standard spoken and written Chinese language for them and at the same time, guarantee their rights to learn their own languages. We have also created conditions in ethnic minority people's political and social life as well as in the field of press and publishing. Take political life as an example, documents issued during China's NPC and CPPCC sessions are available in ethnic minority languages. In judicial work, we have also provided conditions for ethnic minority people to use their own languages in litigation. Places such as Xinjiang and Tibet have set up radio and television stations in ethnic minority languages and issued a variety of periodicals in ethnic minority languages to facilitate the lives of ethnic minority people. Ethnic minority people can also freely access information, study, and communicate on the internet in their own languages.

And as for how to protect the languages and cultures of ethnic minorities, I think supporting their use is the best method of protection. At the same time, we have also noticed that there are 53 ethnic minorities in our country with their own languages, except the Hui and Manchu ethnic groups who use the Chinese language, and 22 ethnic groups have 28 written languages. So, we are also using modern means to protect such languages and specially designed the Chinese Language Resources Database to collect, compile, develop and utilize these languages. In short, there is absolutely no obstacle for ethnic minorities in learning and using their own languages in their work and lives. And there is absolutely no such thing as the "cultural genocide" smear used by some Western media.

Thank you.

People's Daily:

The central conference on ethnic affairs emphasized that we must adhere to a correct historical view of the Chinese nation. As a unified multi-ethnic country, China has a history of integration of various ethnic groups. How should we understand the correct historical view of the Chinese nation and how do we establish such a view? Thank you.

Zhao Yong:

Let me give the floor to Mr. Hua Yanlong, director general of the Bureau of Ethnic Work of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Hua Yanlong:

Thank you. The central conference on ethnic affairs held in 2021 emphasized that we must adhere to a correct historical view of the Chinese nation and enhance the Chinese people's sense of identity and pride. China is a unified multi-ethnic country with the pluralistic unity of the Chinese nation as a distinctive feature. Chinese history is filled with the integration of various ethnic groups into a diverse and unified Chinese nation, and has been jointly created, developed and consolidated by all its ethnic groups. At the national conference commending model units and individuals for contributing to ethnic unity and progress held in 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the important concept of "four commons,"which profoundly elaborated the connotation of the correct historical view of the Chinese nation, that is: China's vast territory is jointly developed by all its ethnic groups; China's long history is jointly written by all ethnic groups; the splendid Chinese culture is jointly created by all ethnic groups, and the great national spirit is jointly nurtured by all ethnic groups. To establish a correct historical view of the Chinese nation involves educating and guiding all ethnic groups to thoroughly understand the origins and historical context of the Chinese civilization, the diversity and unity of the Chinese nation and civilization, the splendid achievements of Chinese civilization, and its major contributions to human civilization. In terms of establishing a correct historical view of the Chinese nation, several key initiatives are underway:

The first is strengthening the compilation of historical materials. This involves further exploring and utilizing historical facts, archaeological objects and cultural relics related to exchanges between various ethnic groups in order to improve the historical narrative of the Chinese nation.

The second is strengthening academic research. We have strengthened the joint research of archaeology and history, humanities and natural sciences respectively in a multi-disciplinary and multi-perspective way to answer major questions related to such areas as the origins, formation and development of the Chinese civilization and laid the theoretical foundation for establishing a correct historical view of the Chinese nation.

The third is strengthening publicity and education.We have incorporated the latest achievements that reflect a correct historical view of the Chinese nation into teaching materials, classrooms and people's lives, and planted the seeds of patriotism in the depths of every child's heart. Various forms of publicity and educational activities have been carried out based on our natural and cultural landscapes, national festivals, and education bases for patriotism and ethnic unity and progress, so that a correct historical view of the Chinese nation can be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

Thank you.

Xinhua News Agency:

You just mentioned that "forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people" is the key work of the Party in the new era, and all the work must focus on it. In the past decade, what work have you done regarding this aspect, and what's your plan for the future? Thank you.

Zhao Yong:

Thanks for your concern on this issue. The fundamental requirement for forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is that people of all ethnic groups should foster the following concept: we share a common future, a common stake, and the same destiny, and the rough times and the smooth with each other. Forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is necessary for realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, safeguarding the fundamental interests of all ethnic groups, consolidating and developing socialist ethnic relations, and starting a new chapter of the Party's work on ethnic groups in the new era.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have carried out concrete work to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people and achieved positive results. Our work mainly focused on the following aspects:

First, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is guided by ideological work. We have consistently armed officials and led the people with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, guided the people of all ethnic groups to take it as their duty to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, and earnestly fulfilled the obligation of safeguarding ethnic unity enshrined in the Constitution to contribute to building the community among the Chinese people.

Second, a strong community among the Chinese people is integrated into education. We have combined the sense of community among the Chinese people with national education, officials education, and social education. In terms of national education, we have introduced the concept of a sense of community among the Chinese people into textbooks, classrooms, and evaluation systems. Many schools are now doing such work. In officials education, we have introduced the sense of community among the Chinese people into learning content of central Party leadership groups at all levels and in training courses of the Party schools and administrative institutes. Regarding social education, we are communicating and guiding 1.4 billion people to let them know the following lessons. The "one community" refers to the community among the Chinese people; the "two visions" are to create a better future for the Chinese nation and share the great glory of national rejuvenation; the "three awareness" means national awareness, civic awareness, and awareness of the rule of law; the "four sharing" means to share a common future, a common stake, and the same destiny, and share the rough times and the smooth: the "five identifications" mean the identifications of the motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Third, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is nourished by culture. To enhance the identification of Chinese culture, which is the most fundamental identification among people of all ethnic groups, we have created and established a series of Chinese cultural symbols shared by all ethnic groups, published a suite of popular literary and art works of Chinese cultural connotations, carried out a bunch of colorful cultural activities of Chinese cultural connotation, and popularized and promoted Mandarin.

Fourth, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is embodied in development. Just now, I mentioned that we had adopted a series of differentiated support policies, made good use of minority development funds, launched many industrial projects for high-quality development, and further promoted the action plan to boost development in the border regions to benefit the people living there. By doing so, people of all ethnic groups shared achievements of reform and development and realized that only when the country was strong and the Chinese nation was well could we live a good life.

Fifth, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is enhanced through communication. We have removed all obstacles to the exchanges and integration of all ethnic groups and promoted the orderly movement of all ethnic groups between urban and rural areas and different regions. In the past decade, the depth and breadth of exchanges, communication, and integration among all ethnic groups have never been greater. Through interwoven development, people of all ethnic groups have strengthened their sense of community; we depend closely on each other.

Sixth, the rule of law guarantees a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. We have written the "Chinese nation" into the Constitution, written "forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people" into the new revision of the laws of the local people's congress and government at all levels, and promoted seven provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities to formulate rules for national unity and progress. We also improved preferential policies for ethnic minority students to get additional scores in the university entrance examination. Through these efforts, forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people has been gradually brought into the track of the rule of law.

Seventh, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is fulfilled during opening up. We have used various forms to tell the story of China and the Chinese nation to the world, participated in international dialogue and exchanges on human rights and promoted building a community with a shared future for mankind through building the community among the Chinese people. During my trip to Taijiang county, Guizhou province, not long ago, I met Pan Yuzhen, a 76-year-old inheritor of Miao embroidery. She has visited more than a dozen foreign countries, and traveled to the U.S. 10 times. Once, she performed Miao embroidery and sang Miao songs at the square in front of the White House, attracting tens of thousands of local people to watch. Thanks to her performance, the beauty of Miao embroidery and the beauty of Chinese culture is presented to the world, as well as the unique charm of an increasingly open China and an increasingly prosperous community among the Chinese people.

Of course, forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is a long and historical process, which asks us all to make strenuous efforts together. Next, we will focus on the major strategic task of forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, continue to take problem-oriented approaches, keep to the right path and make innovations, and pursue progress while ensuring stability. Through these efforts, we will establish a sense of cultural belonging for the Chinese nation, propel people of all ethnic groups to socialist modernization, promote exchanges, communication, and integration among all ethnic groups, and improve the management system and capability of addressing ethnic affairs to a modernized level. We will take tangible, sensible, and practical measures to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. More concrete means will be introduced, and more projects will be launched to generate a strong sense of community among the Chinese. The sense of participation and fulfillment will be enhanced among people of all ethnic groups. The results of our practical work will be reflected in strengthening a strong sense of community among the Chinese people and improving the cohesion of the Chinese nation. Thank you.

Beijing Radio & Television Station:

In recent years, preferential policies for ethnic minority students to get additional scores in university entrance examinations have been abolished in some regions. What adjustments have been made on this issue nationwide? What's the general idea for improving ethnic policies in our country? Thank you.

Zhao Yong:

Mr. Zhang will answer your question.

Zhang Mou:

Thanks for your questions. Since the resumption of university entrance examinations in 1977, China introduced preferential policies for some students to get additional exam scores. To provide better education, ethnic minority students living in less developed areas where education is relatively weak can get additional scores in China's university entrance examination. Recently, we adjusted and reformed the policy mainly for two reasons. On the one hand, equalization of basic education across the country has been significantly improved, which has constantly optimized educational resources enjoyed by ethnic minority students. On the other hand, it's no longer precise to implement preferential policies for all ethnic minority students within several provinces. Therefore, this round of reform is to accurately determine the areas, groups, and conditions of preferential policies to make the policy effectively benefit those students who need help. Reform programs have been carried out based on local differential conditions, including the following cases. First, some provinces with relatively balanced educational resources abolished the policy for ethnic minority students to get additional scores in university entrance examinations. Second, some provinces only add additional scores for those ethnic minorities examinees who transferred to local high schools from the border, mountainous, pastoral areas, and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. Third, some provinces add additional scores only for ethnic minority students living in compact communities but no longer for those living in diaspora areas. Fourth, some provinces implement such policies for designated regions, where examinees of all ethnic groups can get additional scores, whether Han or ethnic minorities. In addition, additional scores have been reduced in those provinces still implementing such preferential policies.

Next, we will focus closely on forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, and improve ethnic work in the direction of enhancing commonality, so as to achieve the dialectical unity of commonality and difference, and organically combine ethnic and regional factors to adjust and improve the relevant ethnic policies step by step. Specifically, we have three principles which we follow in this regard:

First, insist ona fact-based approach, continuing to do what is correct and adjusting what is outdated. Facts have proved that our Party's ethnic theories and policies are good and effective, and must always be adhered to. At the same time, adjustments should be made to keep pace with the ever-changing society since the social conditions on which some specific policies and measures are based and the social problems needing to be solved have changed over time.

Second, adhere to fairness and justice to better tailor ethnic policies to different regions. It is necessary to formulate and implement differentiated regional supporting policies and to focus more on specific regions, special problems and special matters to minimize disparities in public services between different ethnic groups within the same region.

Third, adhere to the law-based governance of ethnic affairs. We will promote effective and qualified policies to be made into laws and regulations and firmly implement the principle of equality of all people before the law to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups and to safeguard ethnic unity with the law.

Thank you.

China News Service:

At present, the populations of ethnic minorities from China's western region to its central and eastern regions are increasing, and contact between the people of various ethnic groups is becoming more and more frequent. What has China done to promote exchanges and interactions between its various ethnic groups in recent years? What achievements have been made? And what measures will be taken going forward? Thank you.

Zhao Yong:

Thanks for your question. I felt the same way. The breadth and depth of exchanges, interactions, and integration among different ethnic groups in the past decade are unprecedented. Of the 125 million ethnic minority population, the migrant population exceeds 37 million. The migrant population of ethnic minorities in Guangdong province alone has reached nearly 3.7 million, more than double the number a decade ago, and the trend is continuing. Someone vividly describes this phenomenon: the Sichuan spicy hot pot is enjoyed by people even in the border area, and the Xinjiang kebab is seen all around the country. We have taken a series of measures in communication and exchanges to meet this trend. First, we made policies to boost exchanges, interactions, and integration among ethnic groups, including the collaboration between eastern and western regions in offering paired assistance and facilitating ethnic minorities to go into the city. Second, we have improved service and management for the migrant populations of ethnic minorities. As ethnic minorities flow into the city, they may encounter problems like language barriers and a lack of skills. They may also fail to adapt to the urban life. We have included them into the urban public service system so that they can enjoy the same treatment as other urban dwellers, and provided various public services to meet their needs. Third, we firmly oppose and have corrected discriminatory practices for certain ethnic minorities in certain areas. After our concerted efforts, the discrimination against ethnic minorities has been effectively addressed to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the ethnic minorities. This, of course, will be an ongoing effort. Fourth, we have explored new ways to promote exchanges, interactions, and integration among different ethnic groups. We have launched three programs. The first is an exchange program for youth of different ethnic groups, which encourages young people in border areas to attend winter and summer camps in inland cities, and encourages youth in inland cities to visit border areas to conduct exchanges, so as to enhance young people's sense of identity. The second is the development program among different ethnic groups, which promotes people in the border region to start a business or find jobs in the eastern and central parts of the country and vice versa. Many people have left the remote areas in the border regions to find employment and settle down in big cities. The third is the tourism program that facilitates mutual understanding and people's sense of community. The three programs are jointly implemented by the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Nearly 10,000 youth from ethnic minorities visited inland cities in the exchange program this summer. By the end of the year, over 30,000 youth from ethnic minorities will have completed this exchange program. This will be a long-term project. Through the project, we understand that only by promoting exchanges, interactions, and integration among different ethnic groups can we forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. And only by forging a strong sense of community can we further promote exchanges, interactions, and integration among different ethnic groups.

For the next step, we will continue with the three programs, attach more importance to the integration of different ethnic groups and elevate our work in promoting exchanges, interaction, and integration to a new level. We will do the following work to promote integration. First, spatial integration. We will further promote the two-way flow of people of all ethnic groups between urban and rural areas and regions on a larger scale, and encourage people of all ethnic groups to attend the same classes, work on the same production lines, eat in the same cafeterias, and live in the same buildings. Second, economic integration. We will promote the integrated development of the eastern, central, and western regions, and promote the benign interaction between urban and rural areas. In the process of interactive development, we will ensure that the people of all ethnic groups can work in the same industrial parks, in the same enterprises, and share the fruits of development in the same industrial chains so as to form a community of shared interests. Third, cultural integration. We will pass on and protect the cultural heritage of different ethnic groups and make innovations to let them thrive. Each ethnic group should treasure its own distinct heritages, appreciate other cultures and promote shared prosperity. Through cultural integration, people of different ethnic groups can form a community of shared culture in which they can sing the same song and perform the same play. Fourth, social integration. We will further build an environment in which people of ethnic groups are like sisters and brothers and create an integrated demographic structure so that they can start a business in every part of the country and feel at home wherever they go. Fifth, emotional integration. We will encourage people to travel all around the country, exchange with people of different ethnic groups so that they can become friendly neighbors, friends, and even build families together.

Thank you.

Tianmu News:

Relations between different ethnic groups in a multi-ethnic country are critical to the well-being of everyone. We understand that the National Ethnic Affairs Commission is actively promoting the campaign to promote ethnic unity and progress. Since 2012, the commission has named a total of 1,524 demonstration areas and organizations that can set an example in promoting ethnic unity and progress. Could you elaborate on the progress in this campaign and your future plans?

Zhao Yong:

Thanks for your question. As you just mentioned, there are many good examples in promoting ethnic unity and progress. Our efforts to promote ethnic unity and progress started just after the founding of the People's Republic of China and thrived after the reform and opening up. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, it has embraced innovative development and made major breakthroughs. I think our progress in this front can be summarized in the following aspects.

First, the campaign has become part of the efforts for people of all ethnic groups to fulfill their duties in safeguarding ethnic unity. The Constitution stipulates that everyone has the responsibility to safeguard ethnic unity, and our efforts on this front have built a good platform for them to fulfill their responsibilities. Our campaign has expanded to enterprises, villages, government organizations, communities, and even religious venues. No matter where we go, there are activities and organizations that promote ethnic unity and progress. Therefore, people can take part in such activities for ethnic unity and progress.

Second, the campaign has become a platform to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. We have amended the index system for promoting ethnic unity and progress so that we can review the strategic tasks of forging a sense of community among the Chinese people based on several indicators. They work as a guideline to support our efforts to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people.

Third, the campaign has facilitated socioeconomic development. Different localities have incorporated the campaign into socioeconomic development and created the "campaign plus" model, such as the "campaign plus poverty alleviation," "campaign plus collaboration of eastern and western region," "campaign plus industrial development," and "campaign plus community governance." These models have promoted economic development, industrial upgrading, improvements to people's lives, and have helped solve many practical problems. It is fair to say that the campaign has contributed to both ethnic unity and development.

We will follow the principles of the Central Conference on Ethnic Affairs and intensify and upgrade our campaign efforts. By upgrading our campaign to a new level, we will attach more importance to forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people and make it the guiding principle and the evaluation standard in our work. Moreover, we will explore new forms to promote ethnic unity and progress based on the characteristics of different industries and sectors and the conditions of different localities. Last but not least, our work will cover the eastern, central, and western parts of the country, as well as the urban and rural areas. We will also promote the campaign both online and offline, and attach equal importance to policy guidance and legal support. We will strive to attract more people to take part in our efforts for ethnic unity and progress, forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, strengthen a community of shared future for the Chinese nation, and contribute our due share to building a modern socialist country in all respects and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Thank you.

Xing Huina:

Today's press conference is hereby concluded. Thanks to all the speakers and journalists.

Translated and edited by Liu Jianing, Wang Wei, Yan Xiaoqing, Zhang Liying, Yan Bin, Lin Liyao, Zhang Rui, Zhou Jing, Ma Yujia, Guo Yiming, Yuan Fang, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, David Ball, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.