4th Session of the Forum on Minority Issues Permanent Mission of China on Item VI (Male. Chinese language) Thank you madam Chairperson. China is a united multi-ethnic country. There are at present 56 ethnic groups identified and recognised by the central government. The sixth national census shows that by 1 November 2010 the total population of 55 ethnic groups not including the Han people is 113.74 million increase of 0.08 per cent over the year 2000. And accounting for 8.49 per cent of the total population. The annual average growth rate of ethnic minority population over the past 10 years is 0.67 per cent, which is 0.11 per cent higher than the growth of the Han population. The government attaches great importance to promotion and protection of the rights of ethnic minorities especially women. In recent years the government is committed to building homogenous socialist society putting more emphasis on the balance between socio-economic political and cultural development. Efforts to equity and justice including gender equality have been an important part of building socialist homogenous society. Realising the rights and the interests of minority women and gender equality has always been a goal. The legal framework and the policies for protecting the rights of minority women have improved in the area of legislation, China has basically set up a comprehensive set of laws and regulations for protecting minority women including the constitution, the law and the protection of the rights and interests of women. The law original ethnic autonomies special purpose laws administrative rules of the government and the five ethnic minority regions of Xingiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Guan Czi and Nin have all promulgated specific measures for implementing the law for the protection of the rights and the interests of women. In terms of policy, the government has integrated the development of women into the overall plan of national social and economic development. This is a new [not clear] making the government more responsible for protecting the rights and interests of minority women, strong coordination wiling the government to increase financial input, allocating more resources, improving social awareness and mobilisation. In 2008 the government issues opinions on preventing and combating domestic violence in 2009 in China drew up and studied national human rights action plan 2009 to 2010. In order to promote equal rights of men and women in all areas and insure women’s legitimate rights and interests. In 2011 the government drew up the 12 five year development plan on national social and economic development which has a special section on the protection of the rights of women and interests. Thank you.