Minorities and the Right to Education United Nations Forum on Minority Issues 2008 Mr. Chairman, I am honored to attend the first UN Forum on Minority Issues. I would like to thank the experts who have drafted the Recommendations, which has shown us their wisdom and hard work. It will enrich and develop the contents of rights of minorities. I hope and trust its drafting and adoption will exert a positive impact on protection and promotion of right to education of minorities and make contributions to building a world of common development, equality and harmony. China is a united multi-ethnic country. There are 55 ethnic minority groups with a population of 106 million．155 ethnic autonomous areas nationwide take up 64% of China’s territory．By adopting a series of policy measures in accordance with features of ethnic minorities and situations of their areas, it has vigorously developed ethnic minorities education and effectively protected their right to education．Based on China’s practice, I would like to make a few suggestions about the Recommendations. I. I suggest that the Recommendations should make it clear that “Education of minorities is an integral part of a country’s national education”, so as to clarify, in theory, the equal status of education of minorities and its relations with national education, and to strengthen, in practice, responsibilities of the government and educational institutions to better plan and develop education of minorities.