Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the National Ethnic Unity and Progress Commendation Conference, stressing

advancing the building of a community for the Chinese nation

and consolidating and developing the great unity of the Chinese nation

Li Qiang presided over the conference; Wang Huning read the commendation decision; Zhao Leji, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi attended

The National Ethnic Unity and Progress Commendation Conference was held in Beijing on the morning of the 27th. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the conference and delivered an important speech. He stressed the need to fully implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially the Party's important thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work, adhere to the main line of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, continuously advance the cause of ethnic unity and progress, promote high-quality development of the Party's ethnic work in the new era, advance the building of a community for the Chinese nation, and strive tirelessly to comprehensively build a great country and achieve national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

Li Qiang presided over the conference, Wang Huning read the commendation decision, and Zhao Leji, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi attended.

At 10 a.m., the conference began. All rose and sang the National Anthem of the People's Republic of China.

Wang Huning read the Decision of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Commending National Model Collectives and Model Individuals for Ethnic Unity and Progress. A total of 352 model collectives and 368 model individuals were commended.

To joyful music, Xi Jinping and others presented awards to the commended model individuals and representatives of model collectives.

Amid warm applause, Xi Jinping delivered an important speech. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, he first extended warm congratulations to the commended model collectives and individuals and sincere greetings to comrades on the ethnic work front and people from all sectors who care about and support the cause of ethnic unity and progress.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the Communist Party of China has always attached great importance to ethnic work. Over the past more than 100 years, we have persisted in integrating the Marxist theory on ethnicity with the concrete realities of China's ethnic issues and with China's fine traditional culture, and have creatively embarked on a correct path of solving ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics. On this path, the Party has united and led the people of all ethnic groups in achieving national independence and people's liberation, opened up a new situation of developing relations of equality, unity, mutual assistance, and harmony among all ethnic groups, promoted unprecedented progress in the economic and social development of ethnic areas and in the lives of people of ethnic minorities, and brought about earth-shaking historic changes in the face of China's ethnic minorities, ethnic areas, ethnic relations, and the Chinese nation.

Xi Jinping stressed that since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have continuously advanced the Sinicization and modernization of the Marxist theory on ethnicity, clearly proposed taking the forging of a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation as the main line of the Party's ethnic work in the new era and of all work in ethnic areas, formed the Party's important thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work, and pushed ethnic areas to win the battle against poverty together with the whole country, build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and embark on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. The Party's ethnic work has achieved new historic accomplishments.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the path of solving ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics focuses on the fundamental and overall interests of the Chinese nation, maximizes the cohesion of all ethnic groups, and realizes the common united struggle and common prosperity and development of all ethnic groups; it upholds equality among all ethnic groups, opposes ethnic oppression and discrimination, and ensures that people of all ethnic groups truly obtain equal political rights and become masters of the country together; it correctly handles the relationship between safeguarding national unity and implementing regional ethnic autonomy, adheres to the combination of unity and autonomy and the combination of ethnic factors and regional factors, and promotes the Chinese nation to become a community of shared destiny with a higher degree of identification and stronger cohesion. Practice has proved that this path is completely correct.

Xi Jinping stressed that the Chinese nation is a great nation with a civilization history of more than 5,000 years. All ethnic groups have jointly opened up the vast territory of the motherland, jointly created a unified multi-ethnic country, jointly written the splendid history of China, jointly created the brilliant Chinese culture, and jointly cultivated the great national spirit. The bloodlines of all ethnic groups are integrated, which is the historical foundation for the formation and development of the community for the Chinese nation; all ethnic groups share the same beliefs, which is the internal driving force for the Chinese nation to create a unified multi-ethnic country; the cultures of all ethnic groups are interconnected, which is the cultural gene for the Chinese nation to forge a pattern of pluralistic unity of civilization; the economies of all ethnic groups are interdependent, which is the powerful force for the Chinese nation to build a unified economy; and the emotions of all ethnic groups are close, which is the strong bond of the Chinese nation being one family. The formation and development of the community for the Chinese nation reflect the will of the people, the trend of the times, and historical inevitability.

Xi Jinping pointed out that it is necessary to always uphold the leadership of the Party, guide the people of all ethnic groups to continuously enhance their identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics, firmly establish the community concept of sharing weal and woe, honor and disgrace, life and death, and destiny, and continuously consolidate the common ideological and political foundation for the united struggle of all ethnic groups.

Xi Jinping stressed the need to focus on building a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation, take core socialist values as the guide, deepen education in patriotism, collectivism, and socialism, guide the people of all ethnic groups to firmly establish a correct view of the country, history, ethnicity, culture, and religion, strengthen historical and cultural education for young people, comprehensively promote and popularize the standard spoken and written Chinese language, and provide strong spiritual and cultural support for advancing the building of a community for the Chinese nation.

Xi Jinping pointed out that in advancing Chinese modernization and realizing common prosperity, not a single ethnic group should be left behind. It is necessary to accelerate the high-quality development of ethnic areas, promote closer economic interconnection and integration among regions, and solidly advance common prosperity of all ethnic groups. It is necessary to uphold safeguarding and improving people's livelihood in development, do more practical things that conform to public opinion, benefit people's livelihood, and warm people's hearts, and continuously meet the people's aspirations for a better life.

Xi Jinping stressed the need to promote all-round integration of all ethnic groups and actively promote exchanges, interactions, and blending among all ethnic groups. It is necessary to coordinate economic and social development plans and public resource allocation, strengthen infrastructure construction such as transportation in border and ethnic areas, actively promote people-centered new urbanization, orderly promote the flow and integrated living of people of all ethnic groups, and promote all ethnic groups to be closely united like the seeds of a pomegranate.

Xi Jinping pointed out that it is necessary to govern ethnic affairs according to law and continuously improve the capacity and level of ethnic affairs governance. It is necessary to uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, gradually improve relevant laws and regulations and differentiated regional support policies, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups according to law. It is necessary to strengthen publicity and education on the rule of law and guide the people of all ethnic groups to enhance their awareness of the state, citizenship, and the rule of law.

Xi Jinping stressed that Party committees and governments at all levels should put ethnic work on important agendas, promptly study and solve major problems in ethnic work, strengthen the building of cadres and talent teams in ethnic areas, and attach importance to training and making good use of cadres from ethnic minorities. It is necessary to improve the systems and mechanisms for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, give play to the exemplary and leading role of advanced models, and create a good atmosphere in the whole society of caring about and supporting ethnic work.

When presiding over the conference, Li Qiang pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech comprehensively summarized the great achievements made in China's cause of ethnic unity and progress since the founding of New China 75 years ago, especially since the new era, profoundly revealed the roots and soul of the formation and development of the sense of community for the Chinese nation, and clearly put forward the overall requirements for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and advancing the building of a community for the Chinese nation on the new journey of the new era. It is profound in thought and broad in vision, and is a programmatic document for advancing the building of a community for the Chinese nation. We must study it carefully, understand it, and implement it thoroughly. It is necessary to fully implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work, deeply understand the decisive significance of the "Two Establishments," resolutely achieve the "Two Upholds," closely focus on the main line of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, promote high-quality development of the Party's ethnic work, and strive tirelessly to comprehensively build a modern socialist country.

Representatives of commended model individuals and model collectives spoke at the conference.

Some members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and relevant leading comrades from the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission attended the conference.

Representatives of commended model collectives and model individuals, responsible comrades from provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and relevant departments of the central Party, government, military, and mass organizations attended the conference.