China is a unified nation comprising 56 ethnic groups, among whom the Han account for 91.11% of its population (2021 census), and the remaining 8.89% are collectively referred to as China’s ethnic minorities. Since ancient times, there have been extensive exchanges, mutual interaction and integration among China’s ethnic groups, jointly building Chinese civilization. Today, to pursue common dreams of Chinese nation’s rejuvenation and modernization, the 56-ethnic family unite closely like pomegranate seeds. The following illustrates how China strengthens such bonds.

Build physical connectivity

The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, aka “roof of the world”, had once been considered so inaccessible that only the mighty eagles could fly over. For centuries, Xizang Autonomous Region had no formal roads connecting it to the rest of the country. Against all odds, over 100,000 soldiers and civilians from multiple ethnic backgrounds built the Sichuan-Xizang and Qinghai-Xizang highways in the early 1950s, spanning a total of over 4,300 km, at an average altitude of over 3,500 meters, and 4,000 meters respectively. In addition to the two main highways, an expansive network of roads built over the decades has connected more remote villages, accelerating their development and narrowing the urban-rural divide

In recent years, Xizang has seen more emerging airports, highways and railways. The first electrified railway in Xizang, the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, marked its fifth anniversary of operation in May 2026. By........

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