Tianmu News:

Relations between different ethnic groups in a multi-ethnic country are critical to the well-being of everyone. We understand that the National Ethnic Affairs Commission is actively promoting the campaign to promote ethnic unity and progress. Since 2012, the commission has named a total of 1,524 demonstration areas and organizations that can set an example in promoting ethnic unity and progress. Could you elaborate on the progress in this campaign and your future plans?

Zhao Yong:

Thanks for your question. As you just mentioned, there are many good examples in promoting ethnic unity and progress. Our efforts to promote ethnic unity and progress started just after the founding of the People's Republic of China and thrived after the reform and opening up. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, it has embraced innovative development and made major breakthroughs. I think our progress in this front can be summarized in the following aspects.

First, the campaign has become part of the efforts for people of all ethnic groups to fulfill their duties in safeguarding ethnic unity. The Constitution stipulates that everyone has the responsibility to safeguard ethnic unity, and our efforts on this front have built a good platform for them to fulfill their responsibilities. Our campaign has expanded to enterprises, villages, government organizations, communities, and even religious venues. No matter where we go, there are activities and organizations that promote ethnic unity and progress. Therefore, people can take part in such activities for ethnic unity and progress.

Second, the campaign has become a platform to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. We have amended the index system for promoting ethnic unity and progress so that we can review the strategic tasks of forging a sense of community among the Chinese people based on several indicators. They work as a guideline to support our efforts to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people.

Third, the campaign has facilitated socioeconomic development. Different localities have incorporated the campaign into socioeconomic development and created the "campaign plus" model, such as the "campaign plus poverty alleviation," "campaign plus collaboration of eastern and western region," "campaign plus industrial development," and "campaign plus community governance." These models have promoted economic development, industrial upgrading, improvements to people's lives, and have helped solve many practical problems. It is fair to say that the campaign has contributed to both ethnic unity and development.

We will follow the principles of the Central Conference on Ethnic Affairs and intensify and upgrade our campaign efforts. By upgrading our campaign to a new level, we will attach more importance to forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people and make it the guiding principle and the evaluation standard in our work. Moreover, we will explore new forms to promote ethnic unity and progress based on the characteristics of different industries and sectors and the conditions of different localities. Last but not least, our work will cover the eastern, central, and western parts of the country, as well as the urban and rural areas. We will also promote the campaign both online and offline, and attach equal importance to policy guidance and legal support. We will strive to attract more people to take part in our efforts for ethnic unity and progress, forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, strengthen a community of shared future for the Chinese nation, and contribute our due share to building a modern socialist country in all respects and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Thank you.

Xing Huina:

Today's press conference is hereby concluded. Thanks to all the speakers and journalists.

Translated and edited by Liu Jianing, Wang Wei, Yan Xiaoqing, Zhang Liying, Yan Bin, Lin Liyao, Zhang Rui, Zhou Jing, Ma Yujia, Guo Yiming, Yuan Fang, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, David Ball, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.