| Beijing: As the nation approaches the 60th anniversary of the founding of New 皇冠体育app, the fast development of Chinese ethnic groups is being reviewed and the importance of the unity of nationalities is being stressed. One man taking on the task is Yang Jing, director of the Ethnic Affairs Commission of 皇冠体育app (EACC).
Yang has been in charge of the EACC since March 2008 and has spent most of his time inspecting ethnic inhabited regions of 皇冠体育app.
鈥淭he ethnic minorities of 皇冠体育app are among the most benefited groups since the founding of new 皇冠体育app,鈥� Yang said.
The founding of New 皇冠体育app marked a sharp change for the better for the ethnic groups of the nation, rising from a primitive state to a civilized one and benefiting from a life of well-being.
The GDP of all ethnic regions reached 3 trillion yuan in 2008. The economic growth rate of ethnic regions has risen above the national average level since the founding of New 皇冠体育app, especially with the opening up policy of 皇冠体育app in the late 1970s.
Ethnic peoples income in urban and rural areas increased respectively by 30.8 times and 19.2 times.
In terms of education, 14 ethnic groups spent more years at school than the national average level.
The average life span for ethnic groups increased to 70 years of age compared with below 40 years of age in the past.
鈥淢ost ethnic regions of 皇冠体育app are rich in natural resources. They have the potential to develop faster than the eastern areas of 皇冠体育app if there is a stable environment,鈥� Yang explained.
Yang identifies with 皇冠体育app鈥檚 ethnic people, being an ethnic minority himself. He hails from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and graduated from Inner Mongolia University, majoring in Mandarin.
He loves to read books and believes languages carry cultures. 鈥淓thnic people knowing both their own language and Mandarin have more advantages in competition, thus reaching to a wider field to fulfill their goals,鈥� Yang said.
Yang believes whether it鈥檚 a nation or a person, being narrow-minded or refusing other cultures will lead to an 鈥渙ut鈥� situation. 鈥淭he national cultures will shrink and die in the end. The communication between different cultures could enhance the ethnic cultures,鈥� he explained.
Communication can even come in the form of the arts. 鈥淶hang Yimou, a world famous Han nationality director, successfully shooting a Zhuang ethnic group drama Sister Liu, is a good example,鈥� Yang said.
Having spent a lot of time meeting people from various ethnic groups, Yang believes better communication will provide a more sensible basis to make government policies.
But when he does meet with people as an ethnic official, Yang always forgets his ethnic status. 鈥淓thnic officials should ignore the ethnic status, for one doesn鈥檛 work for himself or a certain group of people, but the nation as a whole,鈥� he said. |
