| Ethnic minorities in China |
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| Thursday,August 09,2007 Posted: 04:10 BJT(2010 GMT) |
| From:China Original:Others |
Ethnic minorities in China refer to the non-Han Chinese population in mainland China and Taiwan. There are 55 ethnic minority groups within China in addition to the Han majority. As of 2005, the combined population of minority groups numbered at 123.33 million, comprising of 9.44% of mainland China and Taiwan's total population.
These ethnic minority groups, together with the Han majority, make up the greater Chinese nationality known as Zhonghua Minzu.
The PRC's Constitution and laws guarantee equal rights to all ethnic groups in China and help promote ethnic minority groups' economic and cultural development. One notable preferential treatment ethnic minorities enjoy is that they are exempt from the population growth control of the One-Child Policy. Ethnic minorities are well represented in the National People's Congress as well as governments at the provincial and prefectural levels. Some ethnic minorities in China live in what are described as ethnic autonomous areas. These "regional autonomies" guarantee ethnic minorities the freedom to use and develop their ethnic languages, and to maintain their own cultural and social customs. In addition, the Chinese government has provided preferential economic development and aid to areas where ethnic minorities live. The "regional autonomies" are also to protect ethnic minorities' freedom of religion. |
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