Xi highlights ethnic unity

President Xi Jinping has called for advancing the building of the community for the Chinese nation as well as continuously consolidating and promoting the unity and progress of all ethnic groups across the country.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Friday at a grand meeting in Beijing to honor role models for ethnic unity and progress.

A total of 352 model organizations and 368 outstanding individuals were commended for their contributions to promoting such unity and progress.

Addressing the meeting, Xi pointed out that the Party has always attached great importance to ethnic affairs, embarking on a path of addressing ethnic issues with a Chinese approach.

The path focuses on the fundamental and overall interests of the Chinese nation, aiming to unite people of all ethnic groups across the country to strive in unity for common prosperity and development, Xi said.

On the path, he said, the nation upholds equality among all ethnic groups, opposes oppression and discrimination, and ensures that people of all ethnic groups enjoy equal political rights and collectively act as masters of the country.

Xi highlighted that the path properly handles the relationship between safeguarding national unity and exercising regional ethnic autonomy, saying it helps the Chinese nation to become a community with a stronger sense of unity and cohesion.

Practice has proved that such a path is the totally right way forward, he said.

The formation and development of the community for the Chinese nation is the common aspiration of the people of all ethnic groups, and this abides by the general trend of the times and constitutes a historical inevitability, he added.

Xi stressed the importance of upholding the Party's leadership regarding ethnic affairs as well as guiding people of all ethnic groups to strengthen their identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, the Chinese culture, the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics.

It is essential to consolidate the common ideological and political foundation for unity and hard work of all ethnic groups, he said.

Xi called for efforts to build the common spiritual home for the Chinese nation, deepen education on patriotism, collectivism and socialism, and guide people of all ethnic groups to establish correct views on the country, history, nation, culture and religion.

Efforts should be made to strengthen education on history and culture for younger generations, comprehensively promote the national common language to provide strong intellectual and cultural support for the building of the community for the Chinese nation, he said.

Xi also highlighted the importance of promoting the high-quality development of minority regions to ensure common prosperity for all ethnic groups, saying that no ethnic group should be left behind on the way to advancing Chinese modernization and promoting common prosperity.

He called for more interactions and exchanges among various ethnic groups, saying that it is imperative to promote population mobility and integrated habitation among various ethnic groups so that they will remain closely united "like the seeds of a pomegranate that stick together".

Xi emphasized the need to govern ethnic affairs according to law and enhance the governance capacity.

It is crucial to uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy in order to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups, he said.

Xi urged Party committees and governments at all levels to study and address major ethnic issues in a timely manner, and attach greater importance to cultivating the cadres working in minority regions and matching the right people to the right roles.

It is important to improve institutional mechanisms to forge a sense of community for the Chinese nation and create a conducive environment to support ethnic work throughout society, he added.