The Chinese government has all along upheld regional ethnic autonomy and made remarkable achievements in this regard, said a white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council Sunday.

The paper, under the title "China's Ethnic Policy and Common Prosperity and Development of All Ethnic Groups," said regional ethnic autonomy is a basic policy China adopts to handle problems among its ethnic groups and a fundamental political system for this country.

China's regional ethnic autonomy means that under the unified leadership of the state, regional autonomy is exercised and organs of self-government are established in areas where various ethnic minorities live in compact communities.

The paper said ethnic autonomous areas have been established across the country. The legal system of regional ethnic autonomy is being constantly improved. Ethnic autonomous areas effectively exercise the right of self-government.

The paper said self-government organs have the right to independently manage the ethnic groups' internal affairs in their autonomous areas and enjoy the right to formulate autonomous regulations and separate regulations.

The self-government organs are also entitled to independently arrange and manage the economic development of their regions, it added.

They also have the right to independently develop the cultural and social undertakings, the paper said.

"The self-government organs of ethnic autonomous areas may independently develop cultural undertakings with ethnic characteristics, including literature, art, news, publishing, radio and TV broadcasting, and movies."

By the end of 2008, China had in total 155 ethnic autonomous areas. Of these, there were five autonomous regions, 30 autonomous prefectures and 120 autonomous counties (banners).

At present, in the light of the size of population and areas where ethnic minorities inhabit, ethnic autonomous areas are divided into three levels, namely, autonomous regions, autonomous prefectures and autonomous counties - equivalent to the province, city with districts, and county, respectively.

Source:Xinhua