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.