By Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Ma Jia
On 1 July this year, the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law of the People’s Republic of China came into force. The law marks three historic firsts. For the first time, it incorporates General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on strengthening and improving work on ethnic affairs into national legislation. For the first time, it clarifies in legal terms such as fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and advancing the building of a community for the Chinese nation. For the first time, it defines in law the framework for work on ethnic affairs in the new era. It is a successful example of translating the major theoretical achievements and practical experience in work on ethnic affairs into the will of the state through legislation, providing a solid legal foundation for promoting ethnic unity and progress in the new era.
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to our friends from all sectors in Myanmar the law’s guiding principles, institutional framework, and practical results, and to share China’s experience and thinking on promoting ethnic unity and progress through the rule of law.
First, the law establishes the fundamental principles for work on ethnic affairs by upholding equality among all ethnic groups and fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. From the outset, it makes equality among all ethnic groups the basic principle governing work on ethnic affairs and explicitly prohibits all forms of ethnic discrimination and oppression. It provides legal guarantees for the equal participation of all ethnic groups in state governance and for sharing the benefits of development. It upholds the combination of national unity and regional ethnic autonomy, as well as the combination of ethnic factors with regional factors, while safeguarding the equal rights of ethnic minorities in political, economic, cultural, and other fields. Regardless of population size, every ethnic group is an equal member of the Chinese nation, united by a shared future. Guided by the goal of fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, the law fully respects cultural diversity. It protects by law the freedom of all ethnic groups to use and develop their own spoken and written languages, and the freedom to preserve or reform their customs and traditions. It uses the rule of law to uphold harmony among diverse cultures while enabling every ethnic culture to flourish in its own way.
Second, the law promotes integration and shared development by creating more opportunities for interaction and integration among all ethnic groups, encouraging people to live, study, work, and enjoy life together. Promoting extensive interaction and integration among ethnic groups is a central task set out in a dedicated chapter of the law. Today, two-way population mobility has become the norm in China. More than 33 million ethnic minority people live and work away from their registered hometowns, and over one-third of the ethnic minority population now resides in urban and dispersed areas. The pattern of “overall integration, local concentration, mutual interaction” continues to deepen. The law sets out detailed measures covering education, culture and tourism, sports, employment, and community development. It includes specific provisions for building integrated communities and promoting interaction and integration through education, cultural activities, sports, and tourism. These measures help people of different ethnic groups deepen mutual understanding, strengthen mutual respect, bridge differences, build consensus, and make the concept of the Chinese national community part of everyday life.
Third, the law focuses on improving people’s well-being through balanced development so that all ethnic groups can share the benefits of Chinese modernization. It is designed to promote common prosperity and development for all ethnic groups. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the combined GDP of China’s five ethnic autonomous regions has grown from RMB3.25 trillion to RMB8.66 trillion in recent years, more than doubling in size, while regional development gaps have continued to narrow. From the northern frontier to the south, and from the plateau to the border regions, ethnic minority areas have made major advances in transport, energy, communications, and other infrastructure. Public services in education, healthcare, housing, and social security have continued to improve. Behind these steady gains are real improvements in people’s sense of fulfilment and well-being.
The best way to assess a country’s ethnic policy and governance is to look at the facts, examine its development, and see whether people’s lives have truly improved. In China’s ethnic minority areas, high-speed railways have reached border regions, highways now extend to remote villages, and power grids cover even mountainous areas. Schools have been built close to where people live, hospitals are equipped with advanced facilities, and housing conditions have improved greatly. Traditional cultures are also thriving. Ancient epics continue to be passed down, traditional festivals are celebrated with renewed vitality, and intangible cultural heritage is being preserved from generation to generation.
In Xinjiang, GDP reached RMB2.14 trillion in 2025, more than doubling compared with 2012. Xinjiang produces over 90 per cent of China’s cotton and has more than 22 million mu of vineyards, jujube orchards, and other speciality fruit plantations. Installed new energy capacity has exceeded 100 million kilowatts, providing strong momentum for economic transformation. The region has more than 8,000 schools of all types, with over six million students enrolled, while access to education continues to improve. Primary healthcare services now cover the entire region. At the same time, the Uyghur Muqam art form and the “Manas” epic have been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The lawful use of ethnic languages is fully protected, and traditional music, dance, and handicrafts are being systematically preserved.
In Xizang, GDP exceeded RMB300 billion in 2025, nearly tripling compared with 2012. Major infrastructure projects, including the Qinghai-Xizang Railway, the Lhasa-Xigaze Railway, and the Ya’an-Xigaze section of the Sichuan-Xizang Railway, continue to advance. The region’s highway network now exceeds 120,000 kilometres. The completion rate for nine-year compulsory education remains above 98 per cent, while the gross enrolment rate for senior secondary education exceeds 91 per cent. Healthcare has expanded from limited access to comprehensive urban and rural coverage. Average life expectancy has risen from 35.5 years in 1951 to 72.2 years. Historic progress has been made in addressing difficulties in medical care and transport for people living in remote areas. Cultural heritage, including Tibetan Opera and the Epic of King Gesar, is being systematically protected. More than 400 representative intangible cultural heritage items have been identified, allowing traditional culture to thrive in the course of its preservation.
Yunnan is home to 25 indigenous ethnic minority groups. In 2025, the province’s GDP reached RMB3.27 trillion, and GDP per capita exceeded US$10,000. In the province’s 374 Border Happy Villages, the per capita disposable income of rural permanent residents reached RMB22,000, more than RMB5,000 above the provincial average. Six of the province’s eight autonomous prefectures are now connected by high-speed rail, all 78 autonomous counties have access to high-grade highways, and rural power grids provide full coverage. In Menglian County, the Wa tradition of mutual assistance known as Binong Saihai has been given renewed vitality and now serves as an important vehicle for promoting neighbourhood cooperation and ethnic unity. In Ruili, Wanding, and other China-Myanmar border areas, border trade, cultural exchanges, and youth exchanges continue to expand. The enduring Pauk-Phaw friendship between the peoples of the two countries is vividly reflected along the shared border.
Some claim that development in ethnic minority areas comes at the expense of cultural preservation and that economic growth inevitably weakens cultural identity. This does not reflect the reality in China. On the contrary, better economic conditions and greater public investment have revitalized many endangered cultural traditions. Traditional crafts now have broader opportunities to be passed down, and people of all ethnic groups have become more confident in preserving and showcasing their rich cultural heritage while embracing modernization.
China welcomes members of the international community to visit its ethnic minority areas and gain an objective and comprehensive understanding of the changes taking place through firsthand observation, exchanges, and cooperation. Countries have different histories, cultures, and development paths. Mutual respect, equal exchanges, and sharing experience will help deepen understanding and strengthen cooperation among civilizations. As President Xi Jinping proposed in the Global Civilization Initiative, we should jointly advocate respect for the diversity of civilizations, promote the common values of humanity, strengthen international people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and work together to open up new prospects for cultural exchange, mutual learning, and closer ties among peoples around the world.
China and Myanmar are both multiethnic countries that place great importance on ethnic unity, social harmony, and border stability. The long-standing friendship among the ethnic groups living along the China-Myanmar border stands as a vivid testament to the enduring vitality of bilateral relations. China stands ready to share its experience in ethnic affairs governance with Myanmar, work together to achieve new progress in building a China-Myanmar community with a shared future, and contribute more to regional peace, stability, and prosperity.
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