Hechi strives to foster ethnic unity, connectivity

In recent years, Hechi, an ethnically diverse region where minority groups constitute up to 85.6 percent of the population, has actively promoted extensive exchanges and integration among its diverse ethnic communities. It has gained recognition as the city with the highest number of autonomous counties in Guangxi, China.

Between 2016 and 2020, the city allocated a total of 84.3 billion yuan ($11.6 billion) to road construction, achieving the objective of connecting each county with expressways, providing asphalt or cement roads to every village, and ensuring access to public transportation.

The integrated transportation construction project, linking Donglan, Bama, and Fengshan, has established convenient and harmonious routes, facilitating interaction and integration among 625,500 residents from the three counties.

In 2023, Guangxi saw the inauguration of its first high-speed railway, with a speed of 350 kilometers per hour, running through Hechi, thereby significantly enhancing regional connectivity.

Since last year, the city has organized 91 sessions of intangible cultural heritage inheritance activities, drawing 624,600 participants from diverse ethnic groups such as Zhuang, Yao, Mulao, Maonan, Miao, and Han. These activities have showcased the distinctive folk culture of Hechi and fostered interactions and integration among different ethnicities.

Hechi's primary school teachers and students in ethnic costumes carry out "Guangxi Sanyuesan Festival" series of activities. [Photo/Hechi Daily]