Correctly Handling the Relationship between Commonality and Difference

The Communist Party of China has always attached great importance to ethnic work. Over the past century and more, the CPC has adhered to combining the Marxist theory on ethnic relations with the concrete realities of China’s ethnic issues and with the fine traditional culture of the Chinese nation, creatively forging a correct path for solving ethnic problems with Chinese characteristics. In his important speech at the Central Ethnic Work Conference in 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must correctly handle the relationship between commonality and difference, and enhancing commonality while respecting and accommodating difference is an important principle of ethnic work.” Commonality presupposes difference, and difference is oriented toward commonality. Only by correctly handling the dialectical and unified relationship between commonality and difference can we do the Party’s ethnic work in the New Era in a meticulous, concrete, and solid manner.

中国共产党历来高度重视民族工作。一百多年来，中国共产党坚持把马克思主义民族理论同中国民族问题具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，创造性地走出了一条中国特色解决民族问题的正确道路。习近平总书记在2021年中央民族工作会议上发表的重要讲话中指出，“要正确把握共同性和差异性的关系，增进共同性、尊重和包容差异性是民族工作的重要原则”。共同性以差异性为前提，差异性以共同性为依归，正确处理好共同性和差异性的辩证统一关系，才能把新时代党的民族工作做细做实做好。

In the course of long historical development, all ethnic groups have lived and multiplied together on the Chinese land, with inextricable ties of blood and kinship. Inside and outside the Great Wall, along the Yellow River and its northern reaches, customs varied a hundred miles apart and habits differed a thousand miles away, [1]1 An adaptation of a phrase from the ancient text *The Book of Rites (Liji)*, “Customs differ a hundred miles away, habits differ a thousand miles away,” used to describe regional cultural diversity. giving rise to distinctive food and clothing, unique music and painting, and the like. Agricultural civilization, grassland civilization, and maritime civilization learned from and blended with each other, gradually forming a community of shared destiny that is blood-mixed, bone-linked, diverse yet unified, and indivisible. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “The history of China is the history of all ethnic groups converging and integrating into a unified Chinese nation of diversity in unity, and the history of all ethnic groups jointly creating, developing, and consolidating a unified great motherland.” Having come from the depths of history, the Chinese nation, as a big family forged by the cohesion of all ethnic groups, thrives endlessly and remains ever new across the ages.

在漫长的历史发展中，各民族共同在中华大地上繁衍生息，有着千丝万缕的血缘亲缘关系，长城内外、大河上下，百里异习、千里殊俗，形成了各具特色的饮食服饰、各具风格的音乐绘画等，农耕文明、草原文明、海洋文明互鉴融通，逐渐形成血脉相融、骨肉相连、多元一体、不可分割的命运共同体。正如习近平总书记所强调的，“一部中国史，就是一部各民族交融汇聚成多元一体中华民族的历史，就是各民族共同缔造、发展、巩固统一的伟大祖国的历史”。从历史深处走来的中华民族作为一个由各民族凝聚而成的大家庭，生生不息、历久弥新。

Enhancing commonality is the direction of ethnic work and also the internal need for national identity in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation means guiding people of all ethnic groups to firmly establish the community concept of sharing weal and woe, honor and disgrace, life and death, and destiny.” This community concept of “the four sharings” not only conforms to the Marxist idea of community advocating ethnic equality and integration, but also elevates the traditional Chinese sentiment of family and country and the concept of great unity. [2]2 “Great unity” (大一统, da yitong) is a traditional Chinese political concept emphasizing centralized unification and harmony under a single sovereign order, often invoked in the context of national unity. Since entering the New Era, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the trend of large-scale migration and intermingling among ethnic groups has continuously strengthened. People of all ethnic groups learn from each other, help each other, and unite hand in hand. Historic achievements have been made in China’s economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction. Ethnic regions, together with the rest of the country, have won the battle against poverty and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects, embarking on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. The GDP of ethnic regions has steadily increased; urban and rural landscapes have undergone profound changes; infrastructure conditions have significantly improved; public services such as education, medical care, and social security have been greatly enhanced; and the ecological barrier has become more solid. The socialist ethnic relations of equality, solidarity, mutual assistance, and harmony have been continuously consolidated and developed, and the cohesion and centripetal force of the Chinese nation have been greatly strengthened.

增进共同性是民族工作的方向，也是新时代以来国家认同的内在需要。习近平总书记指出，“铸牢中华民族共同体意识，就是要引导各族人民牢固树立休戚与共、荣辱与共、生死与共、命运与共的共同体理念”。这“四个与共”的共同体理念不仅契合马克思主义主张民族平等、民族融合的共同体思想，而且升华了中华民族传统的家国情怀和大一统理念。进入新时代以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，各民族大流动大融居趋势不断增强，相互学习、相互帮助、团结携手，我国经济、政治、文化、社会、生态文明建设等方面取得历史性成就。民族地区同全国一道打赢脱贫攻坚战、全面建成小康社会，迈上全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程；民族地区生产总值稳步提升，城乡面貌发生深刻变化，基础设施条件明显改善，教育、医疗、社会保障等公共服务水平大幅提升，生态屏障更加牢固；平等团结互助和谐的社会主义民族关系不断巩固和发展，中华民族凝聚力向心力极大增强。

It should be noted that commonality is not homogenization or uniformization; rather, it is the greatest common divisor [3]3 “Greatest common divisor” (最大公约数, zui da gongyue shu) is a mathematical term used metaphorically in Chinese political discourse to mean the maximum common ground acceptable to all parties. presented by all ethnic groups through continuous exchange and mutual learning in the process of modernization. On the new journey of comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, firmly establishing the community concept of sharing weal and woe, honor and disgrace, life and death, and destiny requires that people of all ethnic groups continuously enhance their national consciousness, citizenship consciousness, and rule-of-law consciousness; firmly foster a high degree of identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics; and continuously promote the building of the Chinese national community. Among these, identification with the great motherland and the Chinese nation is the external manifestation of the sense of community for the Chinese nation, emphasizing the shared identity of people of all ethnic groups. Identification with Chinese culture is the deepest root of the sense of community for the Chinese nation, which, together with the pattern of diversity in unity of the Chinese nation and the structure of the great-unity political community, mutually supports the Chinese nation in becoming a community of shared destiny with higher recognition and stronger cohesion. Identification with the Communist Party of China and identification with socialism with Chinese characteristics are the political guarantees for forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation, the foundation for safeguarding and realizing the fundamental interests of all ethnic groups across the country, and the common will of all ethnic groups to unite and achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. These “five identifications” [4]4 The “five identifications” (五个认同, wu ge rentong) refer to identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics. boost the building of the Chinese national community and further confirm that “all ethnic groups share one common home, which is China; one common identity, which is the Chinese nation; one common name, which is Chinese; and one common dream, which is to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

需要注意的是，共同性不是同质化、同一化，而是各民族在现代化进程中不断交流互鉴所呈现出来的最大公约数。在以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的新征程上，牢固树立休戚与共、荣辱与共、生死与共、命运与共的共同体理念，要求各族群众不断增强国家意识、公民意识、法治意识，坚定对伟大祖国、中华民族、中华文化、中国共产党、中国特色社会主义的高度认同，不断推进中华民族共同体建设。其中，对伟大祖国和中华民族的认同是中华民族共同体意识的外化表现，强调的是各族人民的共有身份。对中华文化的认同是中华民族共同体意识最深层次的根脉所在，与中华民族多元一体格局和大一统政治共同体结构相互支撑，推动中华民族成为认同度更高、凝聚力更强的命运共同体。对中国共产党的认同和对中国特色社会主义的认同是铸牢中华民族共同体意识的政治保证，是维护和实现全国各族人民根本利益的基础，也是全国各族人民团结一致实现中华民族伟大复兴的共同意志。这“五个认同”助推中华民族共同体建设，进一步确定了“各族人民都有一个共同家园，就是中国；都有一个共同身份，就是中华民族；都有一个共同名字，就是中国人；都有一个共同梦想，就是实现中华民族伟大复兴”。

Respecting and accommodating difference means respecting, accommodating, protecting, and passing on the differences among ethnic groups in food, clothing, customs, culture and art, architectural styles, and so on. According to statistics, among the items on China’s UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage lists (registers), more than one-third come from ethnic minorities. This not only manifests the diverse characteristics of various ethnic groups in terms of customs, culture and art, but also serves as an example of the Chinese nation’s long-standing respect for and accommodation of ethnic differences, and is a continuation of today’s protection and transmission of the cultures of various ethnic groups. Respecting and accommodating difference pursues harmony in diversity rather than separation and estrangement in the course of ethnic interaction, communication, and integration. Respecting and accommodating difference does not mean clinging to outdated ideas without analysis. When protecting and passing on the cultures of various ethnic groups, we must adhere to the principle that all ethnic groups are equal, and resolutely oppose both great-Han chauvinism and local ethnic chauvinism. [5]5 “Great-Han chauvinism” (大汉族主义, da Hanzu zhuyi) and “local ethnic chauvinism” (地方民族主义, difang minzu zhuyi) are terms used in Chinese political discourse to denote, respectively, chauvinism of the Han majority and parochialism of minority ethnic groups; both are officially criticized as harmful to ethnic unity. We must adhere to the combination of unity and autonomy and the combination of ethnic factors and regional factors, and consciously uphold the supreme interests of the state and the overall situation of ethnic unity. Commonality is dominant; difference must not weaken or harm commonality. We must resolutely oppose and resist any views and practices that weaken or harm commonality in the name of respecting difference and accommodating diversity. Based on the actual conditions of different regions and different ethnic groups, and with fairness and justice as the principle, we should highlight regionalization and precision, and formulate and implement differentiated regional support policies more specifically for specific regions, special issues, and particular matters. This will enable people of all ethnic groups to share the fruits of reform and development in the coordinated implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, continuously enhance their sense of gain, happiness, and security, and make the Chinese national community unbreakable.

尊重和包容差异性，就是要对各民族在饮食服饰、风俗习惯、文化艺术、建筑风格等方面的差异，不仅予以尊重和包容，而且予以保护和传承。据统计，我国列入联合国教科文组织非物质文化遗产名录（名册）项目中，有超过三分之一来自少数民族，这既是各民族风俗习惯、文化艺术等方面多元特性的呈现，也是中华民族自古以来尊重和包容各民族差异性的例证，更是当今保护和传承各民族文化的延续。尊重和包容差异性，追求的是各民族交往交流交融中的和而不同而非隔离隔阂。尊重和包容差异性，并不等于泥古不化、不加鉴别。在对各民族文化进行保护和传承时，坚持各民族一律平等，坚决反对大汉族主义和地方民族主义。坚持统一和自治相结合、民族因素和区域因素相结合，自觉维护国家最高利益和民族团结大局，坚持共同性是主导，差异性不能削弱和危害共同性。对于以尊重差异、包容多元的名义削弱和危害共同性的观点和做法，我们要坚决反对和抵制。根据不同地区、不同民族实际，以公平公正为原则，突出区域化和精准性，更多针对特定地区、特殊问题、特别事项制定实施差别化区域支持政策，使各族群众在统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局中共享改革发展成果，不断提升获得感、幸福感、安全感，让中华民族共同体牢不可破。

Our country has a vast territory, and each region has its own resource endowments, with strong economic complementarity and high interdependence. Ethnic groups have always maintained economic ties of mutual exchange of needed goods and mutual benefit, which have effectively enhanced the overall national strength and promoted the formation and development of the Chinese national community. The ethnic and regional differences that match the vast territory nourish the commonality of the Chinese national community, while the concept of the Chinese national community provides tolerance and continuity for ethnic and regional differences. Thus, commonality and difference are mutually conditional and interdependent, driving the continuous growth and development of the Chinese national community.

我国疆域辽阔，各地区资源禀赋各有特点，经济互补性强、依存度高。各民族始终保持互通有无、互利共赢的经济联系，有力增强了国家整体实力，促进了中华民族共同体的形成和发展。与辽阔疆域相契合的民族、地域差异性滋养了中华民族共同体的共同性，而中华民族共同体理念又为民族、地域的差异性提供了包容性和传承性。由此，共同性和差异性互为条件、互相依存，推动中华民族共同体不断发展壮大。

Never forgetting the past: over more than 5,000 years of history, the Chinese nation has formed successful experience in handling the relationship between commonality and difference. All ethnic groups have jointly forged a community of shared destiny where each is inseparable from the other, diverse yet unified, and indivisible. Drawing on foreign experience: the CPC, in different historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, and especially since the New Era, has continuously advanced the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, drawing on and absorbing all excellent achievements of human civilization, enriching the work paths in light of the realities of ethnic work in different historical stages, and uniting and leading people of all ethnic groups to creatively forge a correct path for solving ethnic problems with Chinese characteristics. Facing the future: the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has taken forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation as the main line of the Party’s ethnic work and all work in ethnic regions in the New Era, promoting innovative development of the Party’s ethnic work, continuously building a common spiritual home for all ethnic groups, and gathering the majestic force of unity for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

不忘本来，中华民族在五千多年的历史中形成了处理共同性和差异性关系问题的成功经验，各民族共同铸就了你中有我、我中有你，多元一体、不可分割的命运共同体。吸收外来，中国共产党在革命、建设、改革不同历史时期，特别是新时代以来，不断推进马克思主义中国化时代化，借鉴吸收人类一切优秀文明成果，结合不同历史阶段民族工作的实际，丰富工作路径，团结带领全国各族人民创造性地走出了一条中国特色解决民族问题的正确道路。面向未来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把铸牢中华民族共同体意识作为新时代党的民族工作和民族地区各项工作的主线，推进党的民族工作创新发展，不断构筑中华民族共有精神家园，为以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴凝聚起磅礴的团结力量。

In summary, to forge a sense of community for the Chinese nation and promote the building of the Chinese national community, we must always adhere to the overall leadership of the Party in ethnic work, correctly handle the dialectical and unified relationship between commonality and difference, respect and accommodate difference on the basis of firmly grasping the direction of enhancing commonality, continuously consolidate the common ideological and political foundation for the united struggle of all ethnic groups, continuously solidify the social foundation of extensive interaction, exchange, and integration among all ethnic groups, continuously build a common cultural and psychological foundation that unites the hearts and efforts of all ethnic groups, and continuously stabilize the foundation of security and development for all ethnic groups to share fruits and meet challenges together. Under the Party’s banner, we must unite into “a piece of hard steel,” [6]6 “A piece of hard steel” is a metaphorical phrase often used in CPC discourse to describe the Party’s united and indestructible solidarity, derived from a simile used by Mao Zedong. think with one mind, and exert strength in one direction, enabling the giant ship of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation to brave the wind and waves and sail far and wide!

综上，铸牢中华民族共同体意识、推进中华民族共同体建设，就要在民族工作中始终坚持党的全面领导，正确把握共同性和差异性的辩证统一关系，在牢牢把握增进共同性这一方向基础上尊重和包容差异性，不断巩固各民族团结奋斗的共同思想政治基础，不断夯实各民族广泛交往交流交融的社会基础，不断构筑各民族凝心聚力的共同文化心理基础，不断稳固各民族共享成果、共迎挑战的安全发展基础，在党的旗帜下团结成“一块坚硬的钢铁”，心往一处想、劲往一处使，推动中华民族伟大复兴号巨轮乘风破浪、扬帆远航！

(The author: Chu Songyan, Research Fellow at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and Director and Professor of the United Front Teaching and Research Department, Party School of the CPC Central Committee [National Academy of Governance])

（作者：褚松燕，系中央党校〔国家行政学院〕习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员，统一战线教研部主任、教授）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧