Guangming Daily:

Inner Mongolia is building itself as a model autonomous region in all respects. Could you please elaborate on what aspects Inner Mongolia exemplifies as a role model? What steps have been taken to promote ethnic solidarity? Thank you.

Wang Lixia:

I'll take this question. Your question is regarding in which aspects Inner Mongolia serves as a role model, I would say it "is a role model in adhering to the Party's overall leadership." As you all know, Inner Mongolia is the first ethnic minority region where our Party established Party organization. It is also the first provincial-level autonomous region set up under the direct leadership of the CPC Central Committee. From its establishment in 1947 until today, 77 years have passed. Over these 77 years, Inner Mongolia has developed under the care and support of the CPC Central Committee. As early as the first Five-Year Plan period, the state has invested in building factories and railways in Inner Mongolia. The construction of the No. 1 Machine Manufacturing Factory, the No. 2 Machine Manufacturing Factory, and the Greater Khingan Mountains forest industrial base all began during that period. Especially in the construction of Baotou Steel Industrial Base, with the support of over 80,000 experts and workers from all over the country, the No. 1 blast furnace was built in just over eight months, writing a splendid history of "concerted efforts to build the Baotou Steel Industrial Base."

For 77 years, people of all ethnic groups in Inner Mongolia have always kept in mind the good deeds of and been grateful to the Party and considered the national interest and the general situation. Let me give you an example. In the early 1960s, people in Inner Mongolia accepted over 3,000 orphans from Shanghai and Jiangsu and raised these "children of the state." An elderly woman called Duguima, known as the "Mother of the Grassland," adopted 28 orphans herself. That is the widely known and touching story of "3,000 orphans entering Inner Mongolia." Raised by people on the grasslands, these children have grown up to contribute to various sectors and industries as engineers, doctors, teachers, and so on. Nowadays, they are over 60 years old and live happy lives with their children and grandchildren.

Let me give you another example. In 1958, in order to support the construction of the Dongfeng Aerospace City, Ejin Banner was relocated three times, with the banner's government moving 140 kilometers away. Local herders contributed the best pasture to China’s space industry. That is the touching story of "contributing the best pasture to the space industry." Today, China’s manned spacecrafts are launched and land here. There is also an elderly woman called Nima, who has been awarded as the "Role Model of the Northern Frontier." Two generations of her family have overcome the harsh natural environment and guarded the border for half a century. She is known as the "living boundary monument" on the border line.

In the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has visited Inner Mongolia three times and attended the deliberation sessions of the Inner Mongolia delegations of the National People's Congress five times, pointing out the direction and offering guidance for the development of Inner Mongolia. It can be said that Inner Mongolia’s development achievements have been made under the care and guidance of the general secretary. On his inspection tour of Inner Mongolia last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed for the first time that we should advance works in ethnic minority regions with a focus on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. Focusing on that, we issued the Decision on Building a Model Autonomous Region in All Respects as well as 28 concrete measures concerning the implementation of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. We have also introduced and implemented the promotion regulations, put forward and created the brand of "Northern Frontier Culture," and carried out regular activities along the theme of "be grateful to the Party and follow the Party and its guidance." Nowadays, a spirit of unity and harmony prevails among all ethnic groups. Whether in rural and pastoral areas or urban communities, people make close friends, cultivate harmonious neighborly relations, and have happy marriages.

As the Chinese saying goes, "Seeing is believing.” Here, I’d like to sincerely invite you to visit Inner Mongolia. The vibrant scenes and rapid development of China’s northern frontier will leave you with a new understanding of Inner Mongolia. The genuine warmth of the people on the grassland will leave you captivated and forget to leave. Thank you.

Xing Huina:

Today's briefing is hereby concluded. Thank you to the four speakers and friends from the media. Goodbye.

Translated and edited by Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Wei, Liu Sitong, Yuan Fang, Guo Yiming, Gong Yingchun, Huang Shan, Yan Bin, Yan Xiaoqing, Xu Kailin, Zhang Junmian, Li Huiru, David Ball, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.