Tondrub Wangben, vice minister of China's State Ethnic Affairs Commission, says that government has always paid high attention to the development of the culture of Chinese minority groups.
In a speech yesterday at the Third National Minority Art Festival of China, Tondrub said, "To protect and develop the culture of the ethnic groups has significant and far-reaching influence on the aspects as to improve the scientific and cultural level of the ethnic groups, to strengthen the stamina of the development of the ethnic economy and society, to accelerate the construction of an all-around well-off society in ethnic regions, and to promote the solidarity of all nationalities and the stability of society."
Tondrub said organizing cultural activities and promoting the internal and external exchanges of ethnic cultures can help China's development. The national minority art festival is hosted by the State Ethnic Affairs Commission and was first was held in 1980, the second in 2001. In 2002, the State Council decided to hold it every five years. In 2005, this decision was written into the Several Provisions of the State Council for the Implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Regional National Autonomy.
More than 4,000 performers and personnel come to Beijing to participate in the festival. The performers are from provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Kong Hong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as the People's Liberation Army. There are totally 33 programs, which are performed more than 70 times in theaters.
