In China today, there is a group of 50 million people in charge of managing 10 trillion yuan of capital and directly or indirectly contributing to nearly one-third of the nation's revenue. This group is the new social stratum. During an exclusive interview with People's Daily, Chen Xiqing, the vice minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China described the development trend of this new social stratum.

Not long ago, freelancer Chen Zongpu saw the "Commendation meeting of outstanding contributors to socialist causes with Chinese characteristics" on television, which was organized by the United Front Work Department among others. Chen was very happy after seeing the program, confident that he'd found a group to which he could belong.

Nowadays in China, there are more and more people in Chen's position. This group is the new social stratum.

According to a report from the 16th CPC National Congress, the new social stratum has taken shape since the beginning of reform and opening up, during the development of the socialist market economy. It mainly includes founders of and technicians in private enterprises, technical personnel employed by foreign-funded enterprises, self-employed workers, private entrepreneurs, employees in intermediaries and freelancers.

"Looking closely, we can see that most of the people in this group are employed in the private sector or are intellectuals, and are widely found in the new economy and new social organizations," said Chen Xiqing.

50 million people in the new social stratum

How many people are there in the new social stratum? Chen estimates that there are approximately 50 million in the group. If estimates included all employees in related industries, the total number would reach 150 million. This new stratum manages about 10 trillion yuan of capital, uses more than half of the country's technology patents, directly or indirectly contributing to nearly one-third of the nation's revenue, and attracts more than half of the nation's new job seekers annually.

The new social stratum can be found in all sectors and all fields of economic and social life. They not only have close contact with all the other stratums within the country, but have extensive connections with foreign organizations and individuals.

Healthy development of new social stratum

Chen said that the emergence of the new social stratum is generally a good thing. However, there are some issues that require an urgent solution. With a complex internal structure, the quality of some people within this new social stratum is dubious. A few have made mistakes; some have engaged in illegal behavior.

The central authorities have therefore given equal weight to the important role of the new social stratum and what is necessary to improve education and guidance to promote the healthy development of the private economy. According to Chen, the central government has set up a 20-word (in Chinese) working principle, which translates to "showing respect for the new social stratum, maintaining extensive contacts with the people in it, strengthening the unity of the stratum as well as helping to guide it." It also made clear a working method: "using society as the link, basing it on the community, using the network as media, and activities as leverage".

"In order to guide the stratum, we must first respect it," said Chen, talking about his years of experience working with people within the new social stratum. "People within the new social stratum generally lack a sense of belonging. What we should do is help them to find a home." According to Chen, both criticism and help are needed to guide and help the people within the stratum realize problems and strive to improve themselves. "Only in this way can we become true friends of the new social stratum."

Setting up a new social stratum evaluation system

Chen announced that training of representatives of the new social stratum has been incorporated into the overall plan to select and train people outside the Party. China is now endeavoring to establish and improve the evaluation system for the new social stratum as well as to build up a team of representatives of this stratum. Many professionals in intermediary organizations are now serving as deputies on the NPC and CPPCC National Committee. Many have been recommended as special prosecutors and auditors of procurement and supervisory departments. Some are serving as leaders in the judicial system.

The Central United Front Work Department is establishing a new social stratum evaluation system, which will provide important reference materials for the evaluation of the new social stratum, added Chen.

Eight characteristics of the new social stratum:

1. Many of them were workers, farmers, intellectuals and cadres.

2. A considerable portion of them are intellectuals.

3. They mainly belong to private sector.

4. Most high-income earners fall into this category.

5. They have a lot of occupational mobility.

6. They have increasingly greater political demands.

7. The majority of them are non-CPC members.

8. The new social stratum is expanding.

By People's Daily Online