Chinese Ambassador Yang Xian writes: Diverse Beauty, Shared Destiny
Since arriving in the State of Kuwait, I have closely observed the unique charm that characterizes this country, manifested in civilizational interaction, cultural exchange, and harmonious coexistence among its diverse components. Here, ancient Arab traditions and cultures from various parts of the world converge and interact, with diverse languages, varied cuisines, and multiple lifestyles combining to shape a rich and varied daily life. When the country faces difficulties and challenges, people are also able to transcend their differences, unify their visions, and demonstrate mutual support, solidarity, and cooperation to overcome hardships. It is precisely this social atmosphere, which embraces cultural diversity while safeguarding the shared homeland, that leaves a deep impression on people regarding the State of Kuwait.
In China, we also witness vivid scenes of the blending and coexistence of diverse cultures, as well as shared development and prosperity among its various components. China is a large family comprising 56 ethnic groups. Each group possesses its own language, attire, music, cuisine, and distinctive celebrations, all of which together form the multifaceted and integrated features of Chinese culture. Today, whether it is Uyghur ethnic dances, Tibetan ethnic costumes, Mongolian ethnic cuisine, or the Dai ethnic festivals, all are present in the lives of Chinese people. In fact, throughout the more than 5,000-year history of Chinese civilization, people of various ethnic groups, through interaction, communication, and integration, have contributed to creating a flourishing Chinese culture, consolidating the spirit of the great Chinese nation, and forming a community with a shared future, where beliefs converge, cultures interact, interests intertwine, and sentiments draw closer. The excellent traditions and cultures of each ethnic group constitute an inseparable part of Chinese culture.
China attaches great importance to protecting, preserving, inheriting, and developing the distinct cultures and traditions of all ethnic groups, fostering a harmonious and tolerant environment for coexistence, mutual learning, and shared development among different ethnicities. It also works to transform effective theories and practices proven over many years into legal frameworks, ensuring that different ethnic groups intertwine and cooperate with one another like seeds in a pomegranate. In July 2026, the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress in China entered into force. This is the first law to interpret, from a legal perspective, fundamental concepts such as strengthening the building of a shared Chinese nation community. It stipulates respect for and guarantees the learning and use of the languages and scripts of ethnic minorities, emphasizes enhancing cultural exchange and integration among various ethnic groups, and encourages them to appreciate each other’s excellent traditions and cultures, and to learn each other’s languages and scripts. This provides a strong guarantee for elevating the status of the excellent traditions and cultures of various ethnic groups, enhancing communication, exchange, and cohesion among them, and continuously enriching and developing Chinese culture.
The solidarity and shared progress, prosperity, and development of all ethnic groups represent the life source, strength, and foundation of hope for the Chinese nation. The Chinese government has consistently worked to achieve shared development and prosperity for all ethnic groups. Between 2012 and 2025, the gross domestic product (GDP) of China’s autonomous regions—Inner Mongolia, Tibet, Ningxia, Xinjiang, and Guangxi—rose from 3.25 trillion yuan to 8.66 trillion yuan. In 2021, China announced that all 420 counties in ethnic autonomous areas had been lifted out of poverty, and the 28 ethnic groups with small populations achieved collective poverty alleviation.
In the context of promoting common prosperity for all ethnic groups, the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress stipulates specific measures to support ethnic areas in comprehensively deepening reform and opening up, fully integrating into national development strategies, and enhancing their capacity for self-driven development, thereby ensuring that all ethnic groups equally enjoy the fruits of development. Looking ahead, all ethnic groups in China are advancing united and in solidarity on the path to achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Although China and Kuwait are separated by thousands of miles, both recognize this truth: that people living on the same land, diverse in its beauty and united in their destiny, share a common future.
