Beijing Radio & Television Station:

In recent years, preferential policies for ethnic minority students to get additional scores in university entrance examinations have been abolished in some regions. What adjustments have been made on this issue nationwide? What's the general idea for improving ethnic policies in our country? Thank you.

Zhao Yong:

Mr. Zhang will answer your question.

Zhang Mou:

Thanks for your questions. Since the resumption of university entrance examinations in 1977, China introduced preferential policies for some students to get additional exam scores. To provide better education, ethnic minority students living in less developed areas where education is relatively weak can get additional scores in China's university entrance examination. Recently, we adjusted and reformed the policy mainly for two reasons. On the one hand, equalization of basic education across the country has been significantly improved, which has constantly optimized educational resources enjoyed by ethnic minority students. On the other hand, it's no longer precise to implement preferential policies for all ethnic minority students within several provinces. Therefore, this round of reform is to accurately determine the areas, groups, and conditions of preferential policies to make the policy effectively benefit those students who need help. Reform programs have been carried out based on local differential conditions, including the following cases. First, some provinces with relatively balanced educational resources abolished the policy for ethnic minority students to get additional scores in university entrance examinations. Second, some provinces only add additional scores for those ethnic minorities examinees who transferred to local high schools from the border, mountainous, pastoral areas, and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. Third, some provinces add additional scores only for ethnic minority students living in compact communities but no longer for those living in diaspora areas. Fourth, some provinces implement such policies for designated regions, where examinees of all ethnic groups can get additional scores, whether Han or ethnic minorities. In addition, additional scores have been reduced in those provinces still implementing such preferential policies.

Next, we will focus closely on forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, and improve ethnic work in the direction of enhancing commonality, so as to achieve the dialectical unity of commonality and difference, and organically combine ethnic and regional factors to adjust and improve the relevant ethnic policies step by step. Specifically, we have three principles which we follow in this regard:

First, insist ona fact-based approach, continuing to do what is correct and adjusting what is outdated. Facts have proved that our Party's ethnic theories and policies are good and effective, and must always be adhered to. At the same time, adjustments should be made to keep pace with the ever-changing society since the social conditions on which some specific policies and measures are based and the social problems needing to be solved have changed over time.

Second, adhere to fairness and justice to better tailor ethnic policies to different regions. It is necessary to formulate and implement differentiated regional supporting policies and to focus more on specific regions, special problems and special matters to minimize disparities in public services between different ethnic groups within the same region.

Third, adhere to the law-based governance of ethnic affairs. We will promote effective and qualified policies to be made into laws and regulations and firmly implement the principle of equality of all people before the law to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups and to safeguard ethnic unity with the law.

Thank you.