Implementation of regional ethnic autonomy an inevitable choice for China: white paper

　　BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The implementation of regional ethnic autonomy is an inevitable choice for China, said a white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council Sunday.

　　The paper, titled "China‘s Ethnic Policy and Common Prosperity and Development of All Ethnic Groups," said the policy is adopted by taking into account history, national conditions and the will of the people.

　　First, as far as history and traditions are concerned, the long-term existence of a unified multi-ethnic country is the historical background for implementing regional ethnic autonomy, it said.

　　Second, as far as ethnic relationships are concerned, the Chinese people consist of multi-ethnic groups, and the close and extensive ties among them are the economic and cultural base for the implementation of regional ethnic autonomy.

　　Third, as far as the distribution of ethnic groups are concerned, the reality that some ethnic groups live together over vast areas while others live in individual concentrated communities in small areas, and the natural, economic and cultural diversity and supplementation are the actual conditions for enacting the system of regional ethnic autonomy, it noted.

　　China‘s regional ethnic autonomy means that under the unified leadership of the state, regional autonomy is exercised and organs of self-government are established in areas where various ethnic minorities live in compact communities.

　　The establishment of an autonomous area is determined by the relationships among its local ethnic groups, the economic development of the locality, and its historical background, the paper said.

　　At present, in the light of the size of population and areas where ethnic minorities inhabit, ethnic autonomous areas are divided into three levels, namely, autonomous regions, autonomous prefectures and autonomous counties -- equivalent to the province, city with districts and county, respectively.

　　People‘s congresses and people‘s governments of autonomous areas are organs of self-government, as well as the country‘s local power organs, implementing state laws and policies in accordance with local conditions, the paper said.

　　Regional ethnic autonomy is a self-government system under the unified leadership of the state. Every ethnic autonomous area is an inseparable part of the country. Organs of self-government in ethnic autonomous areas must follow the leadership of the central government, it said.