Supporting the development of ethnic groups with smaller populations: the policies and practices of the Chinese government

Abstract

Development is a fundamental pursuit of human society. When it comes to national governance, there are issues of imbalanced and insufficient development that must be addressed. Since 1949, when the People’s Republic of China was founded, the Chinese government has adopted a series of ethnic policies to resolve these development issues across ethnic minority areas. Since the late 1970s, Chinese scholars and the government have paid particular attention to the development issues of ethnic groups with smaller populations. This paper examines the relevant literature on this topic and divides China’s policies on this issue into three stages: (1) initial exploration, (2) targeted assistance, and (3) specialized planning. It discusses the Chinese government’s policy process and its experience empowering ethnic groups with smaller populations. The paper argues that the Chinese government’s support for ethnic groups with smaller populations is guided by valid ethnic theories and a comprehensive policy system. In the implementation of policies, the government recognizes “development” as the primary objective. It then formulates, implements, and evaluates policies based on the characteristics of the different ethnic groups with smaller populations. This approach effectively addressed the problems faced by these ethnic groups during different stages of their development and achieved the intended policy goals. Therefore, these policies are practical and sustainable. They are a valuable asset, and studying them could be beneficial to any unified multi-ethnic country that wants to tackle the development issues of their ethnic minorities.