Paired aid brings development to Xizang, Xinjiang

Assistance from ethnic affairs departments across the country to the Xizang and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions has yielded significant results in economic and social development, as well as in promoting ethnic unity and progress, the National Ethnic Affairs Commission said on Thursday.

Notable achievements have also been made in talent cultivation and youth exchange programs, according to the commission, which shared the information during a national video conference hosted in Beijing on ethnic affairs departments' paired assistance to Xizang and Xinjiang.

The commission said it has coordinated efforts across ethnic affairs departments to provide assistance to Xizang and Xinjiang. Those efforts have guided both the assisting and receiving parties in addressing the pressing issues faced by various ethnic groups in the two regions, fostering exchanges, communication and integration among all ethnic groups.

It urged ethnic affairs departments to adopt long-term strategies and take foundational measures to continually enhance the overall benefits of targeted assistance to Xizang and Xinjiang, stressing the need to intensify efforts to promote interethnic communication and integration.

Improving people's livelihoods should be the primary focus and objective of the assistance efforts, aiming to address public concerns and expectations while working toward greater equalization of basic public services, it said.

According to Xizang's regional ethnic affairs commission, ethnic affairs departments across the nation have prioritized improving livelihoods, promoting industrial development and enhancing infrastructure. They have offered substantial assistance in areas such as economic development, personnel training, talent cultivation and technical support, providing strong backing for high-quality development in the region.

The assisting provinces and municipalities and their ethnic affairs departments have allocated special funds to promote the economic and social development of various areas in Xizang.

In terms of the assistance to Xinjiang, the autonomous region has signed collaboration agreements with several assisting provincial and municipal ethnic affairs departments, supporting and encouraging labor migration to other provinces for employment and business opportunities.

Both Xizang and Xinjiang have actively organized various youth exchange programs with their paired assistance provinces and municipalities, allowing students from the two regions to connect and form friendships with their counterparts in assisting provinces through both online and offline activities.

Assisting provinces and municipalities have also helped train professionals in sectors such as healthcare and education, fostering deeper relationships among ethnic groups through mutual learning and exchange.

yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn