In the autumn of this year, China's largest autonomous region, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has welcomed in the auspicious occasion of the 50th anniversary of its founding. After going through half a century vicissitudes, north and south Tianshan Mountain has experienced amazing changes, everywhere there is full of vigor and vitality and presents a joyous and auspicious scene

Many countries in the world are composed of multiple ethnic groups. Various countries have different methods and policies for handling their ethnic problems. Improper handling of the ethnic problem in some countries has caused turbulence and even disintegration there, whereas in China, this multi-ethnic country, maintains stability and unification, a very important reason for this is that China institutes a system of regional ethnic autonomy.

So-called regional ethnic autonomy means that under the state's unified leadership, regions inhabited by various ethnic minorities carry out regional autonomy and set up self-government organizations, the people of ethnic minorities are masters of their own affairs, they exercise the right of autonomy in governing the internal affairs of their own localities and their ethnic groups. The core of regional ethnic autonomy is a national relationship featuring equality, solidarity, mutual aid and harmony.

Why does China institute a unique system of regional ethnic autonomy? This is determined by China's national condition, it is a correct choice made in light of China's specific conditions, such as historical development, economic and cultural characteristics, relations among different ethnic groups and the distribution of these ethnic groups.

China is a multi-nationality country, besides the Han people, there are also 55 ethnic minority peoples. The populations of ethnic minorities account for 8.41 percent of the national total. In the course of historical development, frequent migration of various ethnic groups has gradually formed a distribution pattern in which several ethnic groups inhabit in one region and regions where one ethnic group live in compact communities. This population distribution situation of interdependence, in which you are among us and we are among you, determines the need to establish ethnic autonomous areas of different types and different administrative levels on the basis of localities inhabited by ethnic minorities in compact communities, such a population distribution situation contributes to the harmony and stability of ethnic relations and facilitates the common development of various ethnic groups.

By the end of 2003, China had set up 155 ethnic autonomous areas, including five autonomous regions, 30 autonomous prefectures, 120 autonomous counties (banners). Among the 55 ethnic minorities, 44 have established autonomous areas, the populations of ethnic minorities that are practicing regional autonomy account for 71 percent of the total population of ethnic minorities, The area of ethnic autonomous areas makes up about 64 percent of the total land area of the country. Institution of the regional ethnic autonomy in ethnic minority regions has realized the real unification of the country, furthermore, the Constitution, the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy and other laws have standardized the relations between autonomous areas and the whole country and have effectively safeguarded national unification.

Through realizing political equality among various ethnic groups, the system of regional ethnic autonomy has given ethnic autonomous areas the right of autonomy, fully mobilized the enthusiasm and creativity of the various ethnic peoples, and promoted the socio-economic development of ethnic autonomous areas. Take Xinjiang for example. The gross national product (GNP) of the whole region of Xinjiang increased from 1.2 billion yuan in 1955 to 220 billion yuan in 2004, an average annual growth of 7.9 percent, its per-capita GDP (gross domestic product) touched 11,199 yuan, higher than national average. In 2004, Xinjiang's total import and export volume reached 5.636 yuan, 244 times that in 1978.

Practice over the past 50 years proves that China's system of regional ethnic autonomy has been crowned with tremendous success. Solving China's ethnic problem by adopting regional ethnic autonomy is a correct policy conforming to China's national condition and the common interests of various ethnic groups. Regional ethnic autonomy has become China's basic experience in settling the ethnic issue.

By People's Daily Online