China will draft new five-year plans to improve the living standards of people living in border areas and promote the development of ethnic minority regions, said the State Ethnic Affairs Commission on Monday.

Mou Benli, vice-minister with the commission, said at a press conference that China has enacted a series of laws, regulations, plans and documents to boost the economic and social development in ethnic minority areas.

China officially promulgated a law on regional ethnic autonomy in 1984. In February of 2001, the country amended the law to match the country's new economic situation, in a bid to accelerate the economic and social development of ethnic minority regions and promoting ethnic unity.

This May, the State Council, or the Chinese central government, deliberated and passed provisions on implementing the law on regional ethnic autonomy, which further specifies the relevant prescriptions.

It also adopted in May a development plan (2005-2010) to aid ethnic minorities with small populations. The new plan sets a target of helping needy ethnic minority villages with inadequate food and clothing and bring their economic and social development equal to or higher than the average level in local areas.

Meanwhile, governments of ethnic autonomous areas have enacted local regulations according to the amended law on regional ethnic autonomy and the specific conditions of their areas.

So far, ethnic autonomous areas have formulated 133 autonomic regulations, 384 ordinances, and 68 provisions complementary to national laws on marriage, heritage, election, land and grassland.

These local laws and regulations have enriched the content of China's regional autonomy system for ethnic minorities and ensure their right to self-government, Mou said.

Source: Xinhua