Cultural Protection and Development in Xinjiang

White Paper

Cultural Protection and Development in Xinjiang

(November 2018)

The State Council Information Office of
the People's Republic of China

Cultural Protection and Development in Xinjiang

Contents

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China is a unified multi-ethnic country. In the course of a civilization that dates back more than 5,000 years, the various ethnic groups of China have created a long history and a splendid culture. Since ancient times many ethnic groups have made their way to Xinjiang, and it has become their home and a place for cultural integration. Various ethnic cultures of Xinjiang have their roots in the fertile soil of Chinese civilization, advancing their own cultural development while enriching the overall culture of China.

I. Xinjiang Ethnic Cultures Are Part of the Chinese Culture

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I. Xinjiang Ethnic Cultures Are Part of the Chinese Culture

Since ancient times, Xinjiang has been home to various ethnic groups, where different ethnic cultures coexist. Through many years of communication and integration, these cultures thrive in the fertile soil of China's civilization and are part of the Chinese culture.

II. The Spoken and Written Languages of Ethnic Groups Are Widely Used

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II. The Spoken and Written Languages of Ethnic Groups Are Widely Used

Xinjiang is a multilingual region, and historical experience shows that learning and using the commonly used standard Chinese as a spoken and written language has helped develop Xinjiang's ethnic cultures.

III. Respecting and Protecting Religious Culture

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III. Respecting and Protecting Religious Culture

Since antiquity Xinjiang has seen the coexistence of a variety of religions, whose rich cultures have become part of traditional Chinese culture. China's government is committed to protecting its citizens' freedom of religious belief while respecting and protecting religious cultures.

IV. Protecting and Carrying Forward Cultural Heritage

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IV. Protecting and Carrying Forward Cultural Heritage

Xinjiang is a region rich in cultural heritage. The central government and the local government of Xinjiang have made a continuous effort to strengthen the legal system for the protection of the region's cultural heritage.

V. Constant Development of Cultural Undertakings and the Cultural Industry

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V. Constant Development of Cultural Undertakings and the Cultural Industry

The core of cultural development is to satisfy people's cultural and intellectual needs. The Chinese government has given steady support to Xinjiang in its efforts to improve the quality of public cultural services, promote progress in literary and artistic creation and the press and publishing, strengthen the cultural industry, protect citizens' cultural rights, and enrich the cultural life of all ethnic groups.

VI. Active Cultural Exchanges with Other Countries

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VI. Active Cultural Exchanges with Other Countries

Xinjiang has been an important gateway for China's civilization to open to the West, and has played a significant role in cultural communication and mutual learning between East and West. Supported by the central government, Xinjiang has created a framework of cultural exchanges with other countries in all sectors and at all levels.

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The Chinese culture was created, carried forward and developed by all ethnic groups of China, and is a bond of ethnic unity and national unification. Facts have proven that ethnic cultures of Xinjiang are components of the Chinese culture, which is always the emotional attachment and spiritual home for all ethnic people in Xinjiang, as well as the dynamic source for the development of ethnic cultures.