China should develop the broadest and most compatible united
front in history and continue solidifying its alliance with all
workers and patriots, President Hu Jintao said on Wednesday.
Consolidating and expanding the united front must be a key task
of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in improving its governance,
said Hu at a national conference on united front work held from
July 10 to 12.
It is also a key task to build a socialist society with Chinese
characteristics and to strengthen the cohesiveness of the nation,
said Hu, who is also General Secretary of the CPC Central
Committee.
Relations -- such as those between the CPC and non-Communist
parties, between the Han nationality and ethnic minorities, between
religious and non-religious people as well as among the different
faiths, between different social classes and between the mainland
and Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas compatriots -- must be
understood and handled properly.
Multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the
leadership of the CPC is the key to long-term harmony among
parties.
Equality, solidarity, mutual assistance and harmony among all
nationalities are fundamental in dealing with ethnic relations.
The policy of freedom of religious belief must be
comprehensively implemented so as to achieve consensus with
religious groups on major issues regarding the leadership of the
CPC, the socialist system, national unification and social harmony,
Hu added.
Newly emerged social classes should be respected and united and
be guided to the cause of building socialism with Chinese
characteristics.
Exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong,
Macao and Taiwan should be enhanced. The interests of overseas
Chinese should be guaranteed to raise their pride and love for the
motherland, he said.
Finally, Hu stressed that the CPC's leadership of this united
front was the fundamental assurance of its future development and
should be further strengthened and improved.
(Xinhua News Agency July 13, 2006)