Q: In any country, ethnic relations can be a sensitive issue. Any carelessness in dealing with the issue may lead to ethnic conflicts. In China, apart from the Han, there are 55 ethnic minorities. What has China done to ensure a harmonious relationship among all its ethnic groups?

A: China's long history and rich culture should be attributed to its numerous ethnic groups. In China, the Han has the largest population, while the other 55 ethnic groups, with smaller populations, are customarily called "ethnic minorities"

In dealing with ethnic relations, different multiethnic countries adopt different models. China has adopted a system of regional ethnic autonomy, which means that under the unified leadership of the state, regional autonomy is practiced in areas where people of ethnic minorities live in compact communities. In these areas, organs of self-government are established for the exercise of autonomy.

China has a vast territory, with all of its ethnic groups differing from each other in terms of history, economy, cultural traditions and customs. The regional ethnic autonomy system takes all of these factors into full account, as reflected in the establishment of ethnic autonomous areas and the governance of these areas. There is much autonomy in the economic development of these areas, and the leadership and assistance provided by the state are intended to promote their economic growth and social progress. According to government statistics, since China began to implement a proactive fiscal policy, the state has arranged 110.2 billion yuan (US$13.33 billion) in treasury bonds to invest in projects in the five autonomous regions of Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi and Ningxia, accounting for one-eighth of the total investment of treasury bonds. The investment has been used for infrastructure development and construction such as agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, water conservancy, railway and roads, as well as such infrastructure construction as the "grain for grass" project, urban water supply, sewage and garbage disposal, water supply for both people and animals, and rural power grid upgrading. All this has helped improve the living conditions of both urban and rural residents in these ethnic minority regions, while laying a solid foundation for their economic and social development.

Given the fact that there are 22 ethnic minority groups, each with a population of less than 100,000 people that remain backward in terms of economic and social development due to historical and natural factors, the government has formulated a 2005-10 plan for assisting the development of ethnic minorities with small populations. According to the plan, the state will increase financial input and encourage developed coastal areas, large and medium-sized cities and large enterprises to offer assistance to the designated ethnic areas. Through these efforts, the economic and social development of these minority-inhabited areas is expected to reach at least the middle level in their respective regions within the next five years, so that they catch up with others on the road toward common prosperity.

China has so far established 155 ethnic autonomous areas -- five autonomous regions, 30 autonomous prefectures and 120 autonomous counties (banners) -- with their combined area accounting for about 64 percent of the country's total territory. The development and improvement of the regional ethnic autonomy system has played a vital role in ensuring the equal rights of all ethnic groups, promoting common development and prosperity and safeguarding ethnic solidarity and the national unification.

Practice has proven that China's regional ethnic autonomy system and its implementation have achieved great success. To solve China's ethnic issues through regional ethnic autonomy, fostering a harmonious relationship among all ethnic groups, is the correct choice and suits China's national conditions while benefiting all Chinese people.