President Hu Jintao
Friday called on the nation to make concerted efforts to promote
ethnic unity and social and economic development in areas inhabited
by ethnic
minorities for common prosperity of the nation.
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The issue of ethnic minorities "has always been a major one that we
must handle well in the building of socialism with China's own
characteristics" and a major work that has a bearing on the overall
situation of the cause of the Party and people," he said in his
keynote speech at the central conference on the work of ethic
affairs, held in the Great Hall of the People in central
Beijing.
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Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central
Committee, said that the Party has opened up a correct road to
resolve the ethnic issue with China's own characteristics and
enormous achievements have been made in promoting ethnic unity and
progress.
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The equal, unitary, mutually-supporting and harmonious relations
among all ethnic groups in China have been constantly consolidated
as people of different ethnic groups have participated in managing
state affairs, Hu told the conference.
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The system of regional ethnic autonomy has been even more perfect.
Minority people have their legal rights protected and have made
historic progress in the economic and social development.
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China has 56 ethnic groups and more than 100 million ethnic
minorities, and the ethnic autonomous areas account for 64 percent
of the nation's land territory.
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Hu called on the whole nation to have a correct understanding of
the ethnic issue under the new situation, accomplish every job
concerning the work of ethnic affairs, and help ethnic minorities
and ethnic areas to step up economic and social progress to promote
common prosperity and development of the whole nation.
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"It is the natural requirement for us in our efforts to build a
relatively affluent society in an all-round way, quicken the pace
of our socialist modernization, consolidate and develop the great
unity among all ethnic groups, ensure the long-lasting stability of
the Party and the country, open up a new situation for building
socialism with China's own characteristics, and realize the great
rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," he said.
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"We must fully respect and understand the differences of
traditions, languages, cultures, customs and senses of national
identity cultivated in the history of various ethnic groups. We
should neither ignore their existence nor try to change them by
force."
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Instead, efforts should be made to create conditions to narrow and
finally close the gap between development levels of various ethnic
groups though it is a long-term job.
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According to Hu, the ethnic issue in China is usually an expression
of a combination of economic issues with political ones, of
present-day problems with historical ones, of ethnic issues with
religious ones, and of domestic issues with international ones.
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Thus to handle the ethnic issue correctly has a bearing on the
economic, politic and cultural fields as well as the building of a
harmonious society, he said.
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To realize the common prosperity of all ethnic groups is one of the
major goals for China's current efforts to build a moderately
well-off society in an all-round way, Hu stressed.
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He quoted official figures as saying that in 2004, the per-capita
gross domestic product (GDP) in ethnic autonomous areas was only
67.4% of the national average, while the per-capita net income of
farmers there was merely 71.4 percent of the national average.
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The Party and government will adopt more efficient policies and
measures to step up economic and social development of ethnic
minorities and ethnic areas, narrow the gap between development
levels gradually, realize the coordinated development among
different regions, and finally reach the goal of common prosperity
of all ethnic groups in the country, he said.
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The leadership of the Party and the socialist system of the country
have laid a fundamental political foundation for the great unity of
all ethnic groups, which is an important guarantee for us to stand
the test of various difficulties and risks and win victory after
victory in the past, at present and in the future, the president
stressed.
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He noted that after the Cold War, ethnic separatist forces,
religious fundamentalist forces and violent terrorist forces have
been quite active in the neighboring areas of China. They are
trying every means to infiltrate and sabotage the country.
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"Under such complicated situation, we must unswervingly carry out
Party's policy toward nationalities and make vigorous efforts to do
the work of ethnic affairs well," said Hu.
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He pledged to adhere to and implement the basic theories and
policies on ethnic issues developed by the three generations of
Party leaders, consolidate and push forward the equal, united,
mutually-supportive and harmonious relations among all ethnic
groups, adhere to and improve the system of regional ethnic
autonomy, respect the religious belief of ethnic minorities, and
resolve the ethnic issue in a fundamental way by helping ethnic
minorities and ethnic areas to accelerate economic and social
development.
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While safeguarding the dignity of law and the interests of all
ethnic groups, the government will crack down on ethnic separatist
forces and their activities, firmly oppose the hostile forces
outside China?making use of the ethnic issue for acts of
infiltration and sabotage, He stressed.
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The president said that to support ethnic minorities and ethnic
areas to accelerate development is a basic policy of the central
authorities and a major task for pushing forward the development of
the western region. He called for great efforts to help develop
education, science and technology, culture, and public health, and
give priority to accomplishing the work of poverty eradication and
development in ethnic areas.
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More talented professionals from ethnic minorities will be trained
and more ethnic officials be promoted, Hu said.
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He also called for intensified efforts to strengthen the unity of
all ethnic groups and safeguard the unity of the whole nation,
stressing that the reunification of the motherland is the supreme
interest of all ethnic groups and the unity of all ethnic groups is
a major guarantee for the reunification of the motherland.
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He urged Party organizations at all levels to strengthen and
improve the Party's leadership in the work of ethnic affairs,
saying the leadership of the Party is the fundamental assurance for
accomplishing the work.
(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2005)
