The Economic Development of Ethnic Minority Areas ever since the Development of Western China Started: the Analysis Based on“Forging a Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation”

Zheng Changde

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1674-9391.2021.07.002

Abstract：Based on the perspective of “forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation，” this article analyzes the economic growth of ethnic minority areas since the development of Western China began， focusing mainly on narrowing the gap and the supply of basic public services. The article holds the idea that speeding up economic development in ethnic minority areas and forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation not only require acceleration but also top-notch economic development. “The fundamental purpose of economic development is to enable people of all ethnic groups to live a better life.” This article tries to build an analytical framework based on the requirement of economic growth in service of “forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation.” Built on this framework， it focuses on analyzing remarkable achievements in ethnic minority areas concerning reducing economic inequality， providing basic public services， creating employment， and so on.

It concludes that the core of? forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation is to reinforce the “five identities”， namely， the identification with the great motherland， the Chinese nation， Chinese culture， the Communist Party of China， and with socialism with Chinese characteristics.The relationship between an accelerated development of ethnic minorities and ethnic minority areas and forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation is a reciprocal one， in their promotion and outcome. Effectively narrowing the development gap among ethnic groups and providing public services equitably and inclusively are the most basic requirements of “forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation” in the area of economic development. In the past 20 years of Western China development， we have seen great successes in the economic development of ethnic minority areas， which has laid a relatively solid economic foundation for “forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation”. First， ethnic minority areas have generally seen rapid， sustained， and comprehensive economic growth. Second， although the absolute gap is still widening， the relative economic gap has been narrowing in ethnic minority areas. Third， the provision of basic public services has expanded in coverage， cohesion， and inclusivity， and has seen a substantial quality improvement. Fourth， the employment rate presently is high， and the employability of workers has improved significantly.

This article points out that these historic achievements in ethnic minority? areas since the development of Western China show that： i. The CPC's overall ethnic minority policy is the fundamental guarantee to speeding up the economic development in the ethnic areas and to forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation; ii. To forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation， we must accelerate the development of ethnic minorities and ethnic minority areas; iii.Ensuring and improving people's wellbeing must be the focus and goal of the developmental policy; iv. We must step up efforts to support and assist the development of ethnic minority areas， continue to pursue green development， and increasingly turn “l(fā)ush waters and lush mountains” into “mountains of gold and silver”; v. We must intensify the training of high-level personnel from ethnic minorities and ethnic minority areas.

Key Words： Development of Western China; ethnic minority? areas; economic development; a sense of community for the Chinese nation