Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the first of
five province-level autonomous regions established in China,
celebrated its 60th anniversary with a rally and gala on
Wednesday.
About 60,000 people dressed in traditional Mongolian costume
attended a grand gathering followed by a gala of dance and song to
mark the event in a newly-built sports stadium in Hohhot, the
regional capital.
Also present was a 58-member delegation from the central
government led by Vice President Zeng Qinghong, who praised the great
achievements and "earth-shaking changes" in politics, economy,
society, culture and other fields the region had made since its
founding on May 1, 1947.
"The founding of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region 60 years ago
was a model for the Communist Party of China (CPC) in implementing
the system of regional autonomy for ethnic minorities, a great
initiative taken by the CPC after combining the cardinal principle
of Marxism and the actual situation of China's ethnic groups, and
also a milestone in Chinese history of ethnic relations," Zeng told
the gathering.
With an area of 1.18 million square kilometers, Inner Mongolia
covers 12 percent of China's territory and is the third biggest of
the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the
Chinese mainland.
Its population stood at 23.92 million at the end of 2006, 4.23
million of whom were ethnic Mongolians. Altogether 49 ethnic
groups, out of the country's 56, inhabit the region.
Also on Wednesday, the central government delegation presented
to Inner Mongolia a five-meter-tall, 13-ton bronze "ding", an
ancient-style cooking vessel usually for commemoration, which is
inscribed with the words "Treasure of Ethnic Unity" written by
President Hu Jintao.
"Against the backdrop of repeated ethnic conflicts seen in some
parts of the world, China has set a fine example in Inner Mongolia
through the implementation of its regional autonomy policy for
ethnic minorities to properly treat relations among different
ethnic groups, which is believed to be a main factor in boosting
the region's rapid development," said Hao Shiyuan, director of the
Institute of Ethnic Groups Studies with the Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences.
The region's gross domestic product has grown by 18 percent year
on year to reach 479 billion yuan (US$63 billion) last year. Its
economic growth has topped all other provinces, autonomous regions
and municipalities for five years in a row.
The average life expectancy has risen from 35 years to 70.7
years since 1947.
The annual per-capita disposable income reached 10,358 yuan last
year for the region's urban residents, up 13.4 percent
year-on-year, and 3,342 yuan for the farmers and herdsmen, up 11.8
percent year-on-year, government statistics show.
Yang Jing, chairman of the regional government, said the basic
rights of people, such as education, medical care, employment and
religious beliefs, have been guaranteed and the Mongolian language
and traditional culture has also been preserved and carried
forward.
"Ethnic unity has been further consolidated and the idea is
becoming more deep-rooted among the Chinese people that the Han
nationality cannot be separated from ethnic minorities, the ethnic
minorities cannot be separated from the Han nationality, and
different ethnic groups cannot be separated from each other," said
a congratulatory message to the region jointly sent by the CPC
Central Committee, the Standing Committee of National People's
Congress, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference, the State Council and the Central Military
Commission.
Similar progresses can also be seen in four other province-level
autonomous regions -- the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the
country's northwest established in October 1955, the Guangxi Zhuang
Autonomous Region in the south established in March 1958, the
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in the northwest established in
October 1958, and the Tibet Autonomous Region in the southwest
established in September 1965.
"The Chinese government has been advocating equal treatment to
different ethnic groups while opposing oppression and secession,
encouraging mutual respect between the Han nationality and 55 other
minority ethnic groups, and taking various measures to advance the
economic development in areas where minority ethnic groups are
populated, which are vital to the success of its policy on ethnic
groups," Hao said.
Despite challenges to ethnic unity and national unity from
"splitting" forces in Xinjiang and Tibet, China has maintained
long-term social stability and different ethnic groups have lived
together in a harmonious way, because the vast majority of the 123
million ethnic minorities cherish unity among different groups, he
said.
Foreign scholars have also shown interest in China's ethnic
policy, viewing it as a practical solution to ethnic conflicts, and
carried out academic exchanges in this regard with Chinese
counterparts, he said.
The first session of National People's Congress, the country's
top legislature, convened in 1954, included the system of regional
autonomy for ethnic minorities in the Constitution, and all
subsequent revisions reaffirmed the implementation of this system.
The Law of the People's Republic of China on Regional Ethnic
Autonomy, which was amended and issued in 2001, explicitly
stipulates that "the system of regional autonomy for ethnic
minorities is a basic political system of the state."
The areas practicing regional autonomy for ethnic minorities in
China account for 64 percent of the entire territory of the
country, according to Mao Gongning, director of the Policy and Law
Department with the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.
In addition to the five autonomous regions, China has also
established autonomous prefectures and autonomous counties in areas
with large numbers of ethnic minorities.
Of the 55 ethnic minorities, 44 have their own ethnic autonomous
areas, and the population of ethnic minorities living in areas
practicing regional autonomy accounts for 71 percent of the total
population of ethnic minorities in China, statistics show.
Zeng said in Wednesday's address that the government would not
tolerate secessionist activities, saying, "We must properly treat
incidents which may affect ethnic unity and social stability, and
strictly guard against and crack down on secessionist and sabotage
activities conducted by hostile forces both at home and from
abroad."
National interests and interests of all Chinese ethnic groups
must be placed ahead of all other things, and ethnic unity, social
stability and national unification must be maintained resolutely,
Zeng said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2007)
