PROGRESS ACHIEVED

 

Since the 2014 decision, ethnic regions have made great strides in development.

 

In 2015 the economic growth rates of eight provincial ethnic regions were higher than the national average. Tibet's regional GDP exceeded 100 billion yuan and over 20 million tourists visited the region. In Xinjiang, the service sector has become the major growth driver.

 

Infrastructure has developed quickly. More railways and roads now link ethnic areas with other parts of the country. Of the 78 autonomous ethnic areas in Yunnan, over 70 of them have high-standard roads.

 

In Guizhou Province, 18 of the 25 medium-sized reservoirs were built in ethnic regions.

 

More and more ethnic people have been lifted out of poverty. During the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) period, the population in poverty in the eight provincial ethnic regions dropped from 50.4 million to 18.13 million thanks to relocation, industrial development and employment policies, as well as expanded basic social and health insurance.

 

Before last year's National Day holiday, Xi invited 13 grassroots representatives from ethnic regions to Beijing to celebrate their contributions to ethnic unity. He told them that all ethnicities should work together for the good of the country.

 

In 2015 when the Tibet Autonomous Region was celebrating its 50th anniversary of founding, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region celebrated its 60th. Xi wrote on the congratulatory plaques: "Strengthen ethnic unity; build a beautiful Tibet," and "Build a beautiful Xinjiang; achieve the motherland's dream."