Yershat Tursonbay, an NPC deputy from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and governor of Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, said China has long promoted ethnic unity through policy guidance, education and practical practice.

With a draft bill on promoting ethnic unity and progress under review, he said the effort will move onto a stronger legal footing, helping transform the consciousness of the Chinese national community from "ideological awareness" to "legal awareness", and from people's "popular will" to "institutional commitment".