People's Daily:

My question is for Mr. Xu Yousheng. The United Front is an important way to ensure the success of the Party's causes in revolution, construction and reform. It has made remarkable achievements in the new era. What experience and inspirations can you share? Thank you.

Xu Yousheng:

Thanks for your question. As you said, during the century-long struggle of the CPC, the united front has accumulated a wealth of experience, which can be summarized into six points.

First, the United Front upholds CPC leadership. CPC leadership is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the most distinctive characteristic of the united front. The CPC serves as the core of unity and cohesion for the united front. The leadership of the CPC enables the united front to advance in the right direction.

Second, the united front shares a common theoretical and political foundation. The united front stays committed to patriotism and socialism. On the Chinese mainland, socialism is its broadest consensus. To fully build a modern socialist country is a common goal shared by the Chinese people of all ethnic groups. Outside the Chinese mainland, patriotism and support for national reunification is its broadest consensus. To realize national rejuvenation is a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation at home and abroad.

Third, the united front promotes great unity and solidarity. It is a fundamental task of the united front to build consensus and pool strength, and to unit all the forces that can be united and mobilize all the positive elements that can be mobilized to fight for the goal of the Party.

Fourth, the united front serves the overall work of the Party and country. It focuses on the central task of the Party for building consensus and pooling strength. At present, the main task of the united front is to further promote harmony in relations between political parties, between ethnic groups, between religions, between social strata, and between our compatriots at home and abroad. It stays committed to building a modern socialist China and realizing Chinese rejuvenation; to upholding and improving socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing the country's governance system and capacity; to ensuring social harmony and stability and safeguarding China's sovereignty, security, and development interests; to maintaining lasting prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao and achieving China's full reunification. 

Fifth, the United Front shelves differences to seek consensus. The united front is a unity of contradictions of similarities and differences, requiring consensus building in essence. The accommodation of differences directly impacts the width and depth of the unity of the united front. We shall balance consistency with diversity, make more friends with non-CPC persons, and respect, safeguard and accommodate interests of our allies.

Sixth, the united front seeks extensive social participation. Our work involves extensive endeavors, our advantage is unity and we draw strength from coordination. We endeavor to build a united front with extensive social participation with the CPC committees exercising unified leadership, the united front organs taking the initiative in coordination, and all related sectors performing their respective duties to promote the high-quality development of the United Front in the new era. Thank you.