Li Dek Su, an ethnic Korean who serves as minister in charge of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.

Editor’s note: The Chinese Government has always been keen to promote human rights in the interest of the country’s 55 ethnic minority groups, regarding this as vital to promote the country’s human rights cause as a whole. Following is an interview with Li Dek Su, an ethnic Korean who serves as minister in charge of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission. We hope that the interview will help give a better idea of the country’s policies toward ethnic minorities and the achievements made under such policies.


Question: As the top official in charge of ethnic affairs under the State Council, we would like to have your comment on China’s effort to protect human rights in the interest of the ethnic minority groups. Answer: The People’s Republic of China is the unified family by and for the people of all the ethnic groups on its land. The Chinese Government has always attached utmost importance to protection of rights for the ethnic minority groups. Policies and principles pursued by the Chinese Government since the PRC’s founding in 1949 towards the ethnic minority groups conform to the basic requirements set in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Testifying to this are the special measures taken by the Chinese Government to help the ethnic minority groups develop. Basing itself on the country’s realities, the Chinese Government has, through policy and legal measures, provided sufficient protection to rights of the country’s ethnic minority groups who, as a result, have undergone tremendous changes in all fields of life-political, economic, cultural, educational and health. Back in the 1950s, the Chinese Government undertook social reforms in areas inhabited by people of ethnic minority groups. This was done in response to the urgent demand of the local people and by proceeding from the specific conditions in each area and of each ethnic minority group. Thanks to these reforms, people of many ethnic groups were freed from backward social systems, and that was a social progress of historical significance that would otherwise have taken centuries to accomplish.

Self-government by people of ethnic minority groups has become institutionalized in areas where they live in compact communities. This comes as an effective guarantee for equality among people of all ethnic groups in management of state affairs and affairs of their own. Of the 55 ethnic minority groups, 44 are exercising self-government in five autonomous regions, 30 autonomous prefectures and 119 autonomous counties (banners). These together account for 64% of the Chinese territory.

Areas where people of ethnic minority groups exercise self-government have enjoyed an increasingly great economic prosperity over the past five decades, particularly since China adopted the state policy of reform and opening up to the outside world in the late 1970s. Incomes have increased constantly for farmers and herdsmen in these areas.

The right and freedom of the ethnic minority people to use their own languages have been fully ensured, and they have been encouraged to uphold, inherit and develop their own cultures. Good progress has also been achieved in developing education and science and technology in areas under ethnic minority autonomy.

More than 2.8 million people from ethnic minority groups are officials at various levels. Back in 1950, there were merely 10,000. The fact suffices to testify to the importance attached by the Chinese Government to bringing forth, through training, a vast contingent of cadres from among people of ethnic minority groups.

Q. Protection of ethnic minority people’s rights is a question of global concern. The way to achieve the purpose, however, differs from country to country in light of the specific conditions in each. Would you please elaborate on the most salient features of such work in China?

A. China follows three basic principles in striving to protect the rights of the ethnic minority groups:
B.
C. The first is the principle of thoroughgoing equality between different ethnic groups, and this is the basis on which our policies towards ethnic minority groups are built. The Constitution states that “all ethnic groups in the People’s Republic of China shall be equal,” and that “ethnic discrimination and oppression shall be prohibited.”

By using the formulation “thoroughgoing,” we mean, first of all, equality for all the ethnic groups irrespective of the size of population, level of development, as well as difference in folkways and religious beliefs. Secondly, the different ethnic groups enjoy the same rights in all fields of the state and social life and have the same obligations to perform. An ethnic minority group is denied of any privilege over a fellow ethnic group in any field of life, and the Constitution and laws prohibit discrimination against any ethnic group. Thirdly, all people within an ethnic minority group are equal, and discrimination and oppression practiced within the group are not allowed. Fourthly, all ethnic groups are equal in political and legal status. The Government is duty-bound to take measures effective enough to help ethnic minority groups in their effort to remove those objective factors that hinder the exercise of certain rights to which they are entitled.

The second is the principle of regional ethnic autonomy. This principle calls for setting up, under the unified leadership of the state, organs of self-government in places where ethnic minority people live in compact communities, thus allowing the ethnic minority groups to independently manage their internal and local affairs. The Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy provides a full range of ethnic minorities’ rights to self-government, and such provisions became even more effective through revision in 2001. Central government departments and local governments have been busy formulating statutes, policies and measures to ensure fully implementation of the law.

The third is the principle of prosperity for all ethnic groups. By this we mean achievement of all-round economic and social progress by all ethnic groups, progress which, at the same time, highlights the ethnic characteristics of each.

Q. Would you speak on China’s legislation for protection of ethnic minorities’ human rights?

A. We have basically accomplished the task of building a legal system designed to effectively protect the human rights for people of the country’s ethnic minority groups. This legal system comprises the relevant provision in the Constitution, the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy, and provisions pertaining to ethnic affairs in other state laws. Also included are pieces of legislation adopted by people’s congresses and governments in areas of ethnic minority autonomy. Up to now, areas of ethnic minority autonomy have issued 133 sets of regulations on self-government.

Q. The system of self-government by ethnic minority groups is quite unique. Would you explain why China pushes this system? What does it essentially mean?

A. Three factors have prompted China to practice ethnic minority autonomy, which constitutes an essential part of China’s political system.

First of all, China has been a unified country under centralized leadership for well over 2,000 years, ever since the country’s first feudal dynasty, the Qin, came into being. Ethnic minority autonomy suits not only the country’s historical tradition but also the country’s current realities.

Secondly, ethnic minority groups account for only a fraction of the Chinese population, but they mix up with people of the Han majority in most parts of the country, hence the need for the Government to practice ethnic minority self-government in areas where they live in compact communities.

Thirdly, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups had the same fate and the same task in fighting against feudalism and imperialism and for national liberation, which began with the Opium War in 1840. Sharing weal and woe in the protracted struggle for national independence, they developed a relationship of mutual dependence-the ethnic minority groups inseparable from the ethnic Han majority and vice versa and the different ethnic minority groups unable to separate from one another. This has been the political and social foundation for New China, which is unified while allowing self-government by ethnic minority groups.

The right to self-government is the core of ethnic minority autonomy. The Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy has provisions on the scope and contents of this right concerning all aspect of social life-political, economic, financial, cultural, educational, etc. These provisions, all written in explicit terms, are the principles governing our handling of the relationship between the central government and government of areas of ethnic minority autonomy, and between the country’s unification under centralized leadership and self-government by ethnic minority groups. To sum up, the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy is the basic law that guarantees, in accordance with the Constitution, the exercise of the right of ethnic minority groups to self-government.

Q. Development of ethnic minority areas feature prominently in the national strategy for development of the relatively underdeveloped western region. Would you specify the measures taken in this regard?
　　　　　
Debate among Tibetan Buddhist lamas.

A. Most of China’s ethnic minority population live in the western region and, therefore, development of the western region means development of areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups. Jiang Zemin has said: “Accelerating the development of ethnic minority areas to ensure prosperity for all ethnic groups is the focus and point of departure for implementing the strategy of developing the western region in a big way.” Here are the major policy measures adopted by the state to achieve the purpose:

The first policy measure calls for accelerating infrastructure development in the western region and strengthening ecological and environmental conservation and protection there. Good results have already been achieved thanks to this policy measure. Construction has begun over the past three years on 36 key infrastructure projects planned at the central level, including the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the west-to-east natural gas transport project, the west-to-east electric power transmission project, as well as projects for water control in areas drained by the Tarim and Heihe rivers. All these projects are designed to improve conditions in areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups. Such areas are also beneficiaries of local projects including rural highways, energy projects, projects for transforming rural power grids, and projects for developing potable water sources.

The policy measure also calls for returning farmland to forests, protecting natural forests, as well as work to prevent and control erosion of land into sandy waste or desert. Some areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups are experiencing a historical change from destruction of forests for farmland to returning farmland to forests and pastures, where water and soil erosion and deterioration of ecological conditions are being brought under control.
　　　　　
Learning to write in Tibetan.

The second policy measure aims at making agriculture play to the full its due role as the foundation of the local economies in step with effort to restructure local industries and promote the development of industries with local characteristics. Ethnic minority areas have maintained a stable development of agriculture under the state policy of reform and opening up to the outside world. Grain production has been stable. Farm and animal products from ethnic minority areas have come to enjoy a significant share of the domestic market. These include cotton produced in Xinjiang, sugarcane produced in Guangxi and Yunnan, beet produced in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, and tobacco produced in Yunnan and Guizhou. Some of the autonomous regions and multi-ethnic provinces have become important suppliers of finished and primary products. Inner Mongolia has become the fourth greatest producer of coal in China; Guangxi, the top producer of sugar; Yunnan, the top producer of cigarettes and second greatest producer of hydroelectric power; and Xinjiang, the third largest producer of crude oil and the second largest producer of natural gas.

The third policy measure encourages development of science, technology, education, culture and public health in ethnic minority areas. Ethnic minority areas account for a large portion of the more than 2,000 projects planned by the central authorities for science and technology development. Medical and public health services have significantly improved in such areas. National ethnic minority art festivals have been held regularly, and so have been national meets of traditional ethnic sports. More work has been done to sort out classics of ethnic minority groups and protect their cultural heritage. A large number of cultural sites have undergone major repairs, including the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. The national program designed to provide rural villages in ethnic minority areas with access to radio and TV programs has also turned out to be a brilliant success.
　　　　　
Delegates of ethnic minorities to the National PeopleÕs Congress, ChinaÕs top legislature.

Q. Would you elaborate on financial support and assistance provided by the state to ethnic minority areas? What policy privileges are given to such areas?

A. Ethnic minority areas have enjoyed financial support and assistance provided by the state during all periods since the PRC was founded in 1949, along with a range of policy privileges designed to promote their development. Under a national program launched in 1983 to lift 80 million people out of poverty in seven years, the state earmarked a total of 43 billion yuan (8.27 yuan against the U.S. dollar) in development aid to the five autonomous regions and the multi-ethnic provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Qinghai. Special funds have been set up to help ethnic minority areas develop, including a fund that aims at helping ethnic minority people in poverty stricken areas earn enough to feed and clothe themselves. From 1990 to 2000, bank loans of more than three billion yuan were extended to support 1,000 development projects in ethnic minority areas. The government has spared no effort to solicit international aid for poverty alleviation projects implemented in ethnic minority areas. Progressing hand-in-hand are programs in which relatively developed municipalities and provinces are designated to aid ethnic minority areas in striving for development. Life of ethnic minority people has improved markedly. A total of 36 million ethnic minority people have largely freed themselves from poverty.


Q. As far as we know, there are also a range of policy privileges that aim at promoting ethnic trade and production of goods specially needed by ethnic minority people.

A. You’re quite right. Since the 1960s, China has developed a complete policy mechanism whereby to promote ethnic trade and production of goods special for ethnic minority people. To be precise, enterprises specializing in such trade and production of such goods have price subsidies to enjoy, are entitled to government money to increase their operation funds and, in the case of state-owned enterprises, are allowed to retain a greater portion of their profits for their own use than their counterparts in non-ethnic minority areas. These policies have become even more effective thanks to readjustments made by the government in step with the development of a market-oriented economy in China.

Persistent effort on the part of the government has ensured a rapid economic development in ethnic minority areas. From 1998 to 2002, the five autonomous regions and the three multi-ethnic provinces together generated 4.2698 trillion yuan in gross domestic product (GDP), at an average annual growth rate of 8.5%. The figure was 999.7 billion yuan for 2002, 50% greater than for 1997. It represented a year-on-year increase of 9.6%, higher than the GDP growth for the entire country. The same five-year period saw a total of 1.6199 trillion yuan invested in fixed assets in the five autonomous regions and three multi-ethnic provinces, an annual average increase of 14.1%. What merits even greater attention is the fact that these autonomous regions and provinces have accelerated the development of undertakings advantageous to them or with distinct local characteristics.

Life has kept improving along with economic development in these autonomous regions and provinces. In 2002, the disposal income was calculated at 6,817 yuan for each member of the urban population there, a year-on-year increase of 10.2% and 42% over 1997. It came to 1,769 yuan per capita for the rural population, 5.1% over 2001 and 15.9% over 1997.

Q. Would you explain to us what the Chinese Government has done to promote education in ethnic minority areas and protect the right of the ethnic minorities to education?

A. I would like to cite the following facts to answer your question. The state attaches great importance to teaching in ethnic minority languages and bilingual teaching-teaching in both ethnic minority and the Han Chinese languages. Of the 55 ethnic minority groups in China, all have their own languages except the Hui and Man whose people speak the same language as the Han majority. People of 21 ethnic minority groups have their own written languages, numbering 27 altogether. Of these written languages, 13 were created or improved under the auspices of the government after New China was born. At present, teaching is conducted in both ethnic minority and Han languages in more than 10,000 schools across the country. Work has begun to experiment tri-lingual teaching in an ethnic minority language, Mandarin and a foreign language. The state has set up a fund special for subsidizing the compilation and publication of textbooks and teaching materials in ethnic minority languages. Each year, the country publishes 3,500 titles of textbooks and teaching materials in ethnic minority languages.
　　　　　
Drum dance of Wa ethnic minority.

The state has, since 1990, earmarked special allocations for subsidizing education in ethnic minority areas. It has also used World Bank loans to increase the input for education in such areas. In 1995, the central government set up a fund special for promoting compulsory education in underdeveloped ethnic minority areas. During the current Tenth Five-Year Plan period (2001-2005), the state is spending five billion yuan on compulsory education and three billion yuan on repairs and rebuilding of classroom buildings in dangerous conditions, and the money is used mainly in ethnic minority areas.

Education in the interest of ethnic minority groups receives priority in government budgeting. Altogether, 17.713 million ethnic minority youngsters were in school at the end of 2001, 7.3% of the country’s total student population. The country has nearly 150 schools of higher learning special for ethnic minority students, which have a combined enrolment of 560,000. College students are found from all the 55 ethnic minority groups. An agreement was signed in 2002 between the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, the Ministry of Education and the Beijing Municipal Government on jointly developing the Central Ethnic University. The commission also signed an agreement with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Under the unified planning of the central government, relatively developed regions are working hard to aid ethnic minority areas, Tibet and Xinjiang in particular, in developing education. Classes special for Tibetan students have been set up in 18 relatively developed provinces and municipalities, and for students from Xinjiang, there are classes in 12 provinces and municipalities.

Q. What the Chinese Government has done to protect the traditional cultures of the country’s ethnic minority groups?

A. Ethnic minorities’ traditional cultures are an important part of the Chinese culture. As such, these have received effective protection by the Chinese Government, as well as assistance from the Chinese Government in their development.

In the first place, ethnic minorities’ traditional cultures are protected under China’s legal system. There are legal provisions concerning protection and development of these cultures in the Constitution and the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy, as well as in local statutes effective in areas of ethnic minority autonomy.

Secondly, there is a complete administrative set-up that ensures implementation of these legal provisions. Ethnic cultural work is placed high on the agenda of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission and the Ministry of Culture. A number of ethnic art troupes operate directly under the central authorities, including for example the Central Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble. Even more are libraries, cultural centers, museums and radio and TV stations operating in areas of ethnic minority autonomy.

Work began immediately after the founding of New China in 1949 to salvage the country’s ethnic cultural heritage, including folk literature, music and dancing and traditional dramas of ethnic minority groups and their cultural relics. In 1980, the State Ethnic Affairs Commission and the Ministry of Culture jointly launched a national program designed to set up a data pool for ten major items of artistic and cultural traditions of all the country’s 56 ethnic groups.

The Chinese Government spares no effort to promote mass cultural activities and train cultural and art workers from among people of ethnic minority groups. Ethnic minority arts have become increasingly thriving thanks to improvement in people’s life and with aid of new technologies and techniques. The 55 ethnic minority groups now all have their own writers. Increasing numbers of ethnic minority artists have become known across the country.

Q. Achievements made by China in protecting human rights for ethnic minorities are undeniable. Despite that, we’d like to know if there is room for improvement.

A. We have to admit that human rights conditions are yet to meet the best standard we are able to conceive. China, after all, is still a developing country and, as such, it has a host of problems and difficulties. Generally speaking, ethnic minority areas remain economically backward relative to other parts of the country, the coastal areas in particular. That adversely affects the exercise by ethnic minorities of their rights. Moreover, China’s current legal system needs to be improved in order that ethnic minority rights can be realized fully.

We need to try all means to accelerate the development of ethnic minority areas, believing that this is key to success of our effort to protect human rights for ethnic minorities and promote their human rights cause. We also need to do more to pool resources from all sectors of the society to help and assist ethnic minority areas in their development. Given all this, we believe that the 21st century will see a faster and better development of the human rights cause in the interest of China’s ethnic minorities.