Lesson 12: Great National Unity

The National Regional Autonomy System

Based on the historical characteristics and realities of China's ethnic problems, the Communist Party of China has established the system of regional ethnic autonomy as the basic policy for solving China's ethnic problems. Under the unified leadership of the state, regional autonomy is exercised in places where ethnic minorities live together, and ethnic autonomous regions and organs of autonomy are set up at different levels according to the size of the population and the size of the regions. Within the autonomous regions, the local ethnic groups are in charge of their own internal affairs and exercise the right of autonomy.

The system of regional national autonomy is a basic political system in China, and the Common Program of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, adopted in 1949, established the implementation of regional national autonomy as a basic political system. In 1984, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Regional Ethnic Autonomy was promulgated and implemented.

In 1947, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was established in accordance with the basic policy of the Party Central Committee on regional ethnic autonomy. This was the first provincial-level autonomous region for ethnic minorities in China, and accumulated valuable practical experience for the implementation of the regional ethnic autonomy system after the founding of New China. At present, there are five ethnic autonomous regions in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Guangxi, Ningxia and Tibet, 30 ethnic autonomous prefectures and more than 100 ethnic autonomous counties (banners), and more than 70% of the ethnic minority people live in ethnic autonomous areas.

The implementation of regional ethnic autonomy embodies the spirit of the state fully respecting and guaranteeing the rights of each minority nationality to manage its own internal affairs, which is of great significance in maintaining ethnic unity, consolidating the unity of the motherland and promoting the development of minority regions, and lays the foundation for the common prosperity of all ethnic groups.

Prosperous Development Together

Before the founding of New China, due to historical and geographical reasons, the development of various ethnic groups in China was very uneven, and the productivity level of many ethnic minorities was very backward. For example, the He and Jingpo ethnic minorities in Yunnan still retained their lifestyles from the primitive era, the Yi in the Liangshan region of Sichuan were in the stage of slave society, and the Tibetan people were living under the oppression of serfdom.

After the founding of New China, the Party and the government carried out a series of democratic reforms and socialist transformation in the minority areas according to local conditions, abolished exploitation and oppression, and turned the people of all ethnic groups into masters and entered into socialist society.

The state has adopted many preferential policies, sent a large number of personnel, and strengthened the economic construction of minority regions through various means such as technology, funds and materials, and promoted the common prosperity and development of all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups have also made great achievements in developing their economies according to the actual situation of their ethnic regions, giving full play to their own advantages. The economy of ethnic minority regions has developed considerably and has become an important part of China's national economy, and the living standard of ethnic minority people has been improving.

The state attaches importance to the protection and development of minority cultures. When New China was founded, some ethnic minorities did not have their own scripts. In accordance with the principle of voluntariness, the State helped more than a dozen minority nationalities, including the Dong, to create scripts, thus creating conditions for the cultural transmission of these nationalities. The state respects the religious beliefs and customs of all ethnic groups, and protects the historical and cultural heritage of ethnic minorities. The State has also organized and planned the collection, collation and publication of ancient literature of ethnic minorities, and has made great achievements. These measures are of great significance to the inheritance and development of minority cultures.

At the end of the 20th century, the central government decided to carry out the development of the western region. The Western Development Strategy covers five ethnic autonomous regions, 27 ethnic autonomous prefectures and 83 ethnic autonomous counties, and three ethnic autonomous prefectures enjoy preferential policies in reference to the Western Development. The Western Development Strategy has created a huge historical opportunity for the accelerated development of minority regions. In 2006, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway was opened to traffic, which has greatly strengthened the connection between the mainland and the border areas and promoted the economic and social development of Qinghai and Tibet.