A Number of Basic Questions of Ethnic Minorities in China and Southeast Asia

Abstract

The article raised three main theoretical points. Firstly, the nature of questions of ethnic minorities in general has related to the relationship between the ethnic minorities and majority, the state and nation-state. Secondly, a question of ethnic minorities has been considered as basic one when it has to have a great and long impact on economic, political and social life of a nation so that it demands the long term and thorough solutions instead of temporary, short term ones. Thirdly, the basic question of ethnic minorities of a nation always is under the government of two elements: i) the common characteristics taking shape in long historical process of ethnic minorities in that nation; ii) the long-term policies towards ethnic minorities of the state (often led by the ethnic majority). Using three above theoretical points as an analytic framework, the writing generalized some questions considered as basic ones of ethnic minorities in China and a number of Southeast Asian nations at the present.