These days, ethnic minority members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in session here, have been holding heated discussions on Premier Zhu Rongji's report on the Outline of the Tenth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2001-2005).
They have made comments and proposals on such issues as unity among people of different ethnic groups, the development of China's western region, and education of ethnic minority people.
In the proposed new five-year plan, the central government plans to further support the strategy of developing the western region, which is certain to promote economic development and prosperity in the region and lead to a great unity among people of different ethnic groups, said Ma Guochao, a member from the Hui people.
In China, a country with 56 ethnic groups, it has been a consistent policy of the central government to maintain national unity, he pointed out.
Like many other members, Ma Yuanbiao, from the Tu people, showed great concern over the issue of developing the west. The new five-year plan depicts a bright future, with guiding principles for the development of underdeveloped areas and preferential policies for the development of areas inhabited by ethnic minority people, he noted.
China's western part has been lagging behind other parts of the country due to historical and geographical reasons, according to Ma. Under the impact of globalization, the western region has to compete with both domestic and foreign competitors. He praised government's plan to speed up infrastructure construction in the region.
Li Jingshu, of ethnic Korean, spoke appreciatively of the plan's proposal to give priority to the strategy of developing the nation through education and the development of science and technology. "This is even more important for ethnic minority areas, " she noted.
These areas, lacking education facilities for historical reasons, are in great demand of professionals, especially those in the fields of banking and science and technology, Li said. Ethnic minority people should use the favorable policies from the central government to increase investment in the local education sector, he said.
March 9, 2001
Source: www.people.com.cn
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