Foreigners: Inner Mongolia’s success hinges on regional autonomy

Inner Mongolia, the first provincial-level ethnic autonomous region established in China, marks its 70th birthday this year. Over the past 70 years, the local people have made remarkable achievements in social and economic work, writing a brilliant chapter in the history of China's regional ethnic autonomy.

Inner Mongolia's golden path to success proved the importance and vitality of the regional ethnic autonomy system, foreigners said during an interview with Xinhua. It also provides a useful example for countries grappling with ethnic issues, they added.

What international community says
"I wish I could revisit Hohhot as soon as possible!"

-- Bilig from Mongolia

Bilig got a chance to study at Inner Mongolia Normal University for several months, along with more than 20 others in 2008, thanks to a student exchange program between the National University of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia Normal University. She is now working at a Chinese-funded enterprise in Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia.

During the interview, the first line out of her mouth was that she was looking forward to revisiting Mongolia.

"As the old saying goes, it is better to see it with one’s own eyes once than to hear from others one hundred times," said Bilig, recalling the first time she visited Inner Mongolia in 2008. "The autonomous region’s capital Hohhot impressed me beyond imagination with its beauty, easy-going way of life and remarkable development."

This good first impression contributed to the idea of completing a master's degree in Inner Mongolia. To achieve this ambition, she has spared no efforts, studying Chinese since 2008. Her dream came true in 2010 after she was admitted to Inner Mongolia Normal University to study Teaching Chinese As A Foreign Language.

"I was stunned by the gorgeous development of Hohhot, although I undoubtedly love Ulaanbaatar, the capital of my home country," said Bilig. She added there are many things in Hohhot for her fellow country people to learn from.

"It is a holy place in my bosom."

--Da Wei (Chinese name) from Egypt

Da Wei, a young Egyptian man well-known by his Chinese name, speaks Chinese as fluently as any native. Last year, he cruised all the way to the final round of the "Chinese Bridge — Sino-African Friendship Knowledge Competition." He won an award against stiff competition.

Da Wei said Inner Mongolia is very special to him, as in his home country both his best Chinese friend and his most reliable Chinese teacher are both from the autonomous region.

"My Chinese teacher said that Inner Mongolia is a fantastic place, where the local residents are too hospitable to allow their guests to feel even a touch homesick."

He said that Inner Mongolia, a holy place in his bosom, is at the top of his travel list.

"Inner Mongolia is taken as one of the most important 'green lungs' in China."

--Hu Yishan from Malaysia

Hu Yishan, chief advisor at the Malaysian Pacific Research Center, has been to Inner Mongolia many times, visiting famous cities and tourist scenic spots like Ordos, Erenhot, Hohhot, Khorchin, the Hulunbeir Prairie and Arxan.

"The autonomous region is easy on my eyes: rolling hills, green prairies with no end in sight, and a crystal blue sky," Hu said, noting it is one of the most important "green lungs" in China.

"Russians love traveling to Inner Mongolia, where they go into a shopping frenzy."

--Andrey Ostrovsky from Russia

Andrey Ostrovsky, deputy director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, said people in Inner Mongolia enjoy a very convenient life with a strong, prosperous economy, recalling his visit to the region in 2016.

"Chinese and Russian people have maintained close contact, and lots of Russians love travelling to Inner Mongolia, where they go into a shopping frenzy," Ostrovsky said, noting the autonomous region’s Manzhouli, a city on the Russian border, is China’s largest land border port.

Sinologist Yuri Tavrovsky, a professor at Russia's Peoples Friendship University, had inspection tours to Manzhouli twice. He visited Hohhot in May this year. "Both places made a deep impression on me, although I stayed there for a short period. Manzhouli is permeated with Russian style, while the architecture in Hohhot truly reflected the features of ethnic Mongolia."

Remarkable achievements in economy

Duoerjihanda (transliteration), a journalist from the Mongolia News Agency, covered reports in Inner Mongolia in June. She never expected that she could send stories via the internet in sparsely populated pasture land. Wherever she stayed, she could go online via the broadband networks. 
The reporter said Inner Mongolia has connected highways leading in all directions, allowing local people to enjoy good, comfortable transportation.

Tuya, also a news reporter born in Mongolia, apparently knows Inner Mongolia better than most of his fellow country people. She is now working for Inner Mongolia Daily as a journalist, after completed a master’s degree from Inner Mongolia Normal University in 2010.

"The local herders are intelligent, working hard with deep affections for their hometown," she said.

Tuya speaks highly of the autonomous region's public services. "The region has strong safeguards to prevent and alleviate disaster, as the local governments can respond quickly to any emergency." She also expressed awe at Ordos' fruitful efforts to control the Engebei Desert.

Within 70 years, the economic gross of the region boosted up from 570 million yuan ($87.02 million) to nearly 1.9 trillion yuan in 2016, ranked in the middle level of the country's provinces and regions. The region currently has a per capita GDP exceeding $10,000, equivalent to the level of a moderately developed country.

Cities in Inner Mongolia have witnessed significant development in past decades. The urbanization rate has surpassed 60 percent, compared to 12% in 1947 when the autonomous region was established. Quite a few herders are now settling in towns and cities.

Vitality of regional autonomy

Over the past decades, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region has stuck to the system of regional autonomy under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, while putting high priority on equality, solidarity and common prosperity for all ethnic groups. For this reason, the region has taken great strides toward progress.

Da Wei, the Egyptian man, said that China's ethnic harmony and national unity hinges on Party unity and the firm will of Chinese leaders.

Mustafa Ibrahim, a political analyst from Pakistan, said that the regional ethnic autonomy is a creative policy initiated by the CPC, with enormous achievements in practice. "The system is worthy of respect and praise," he said.

Pierre Picquart, a China observer and French professor at University of Paris VIII, said regional autonomy safeguards the equality and unity of all ethnic groups, leading them down a path of mutual assistance and common prosperity. The author of Chinese Empire noted that the achievement Inner Mongolia has made serves as an example of this system's advantages.

These views on the regional autonomy policy initiated by China correspond well with scholars from Malaysia.

When viewed from a global perspective, China is one of the few open-minded countries treating ethnic minorities fairly, according to Rao Zhaobin, deputy head of the Institute of China Studies at the University of Malaysia.

Hu Yishan, also a Malaysian scholar, said China takes the lead in its ethnic polices, which are worthy of teaching to other countries. One of China's most amazing feats is that it succeeded in overcoming the hurdles of multi-ethnic society to achieve national solidarity and social progress, he said.

Hu's feelings match with Da Wei's. "I hold the utmost respect for the fusion of Chinese culture and the country's strong national unity, which I wish the Middle East regions could learn from," said Da Wei.