China's central authorities sent a congratulatory message to local departments in the southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for the region's 50th founding anniversary.

The signatories included the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council (Cabinet), the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Central Military Commission.

The message called the region's founding 50 years ago "a milestone" in the history of China's ethnic relations and opening "a new historic chapter" for the development of Guangxi.

It hailed the historic changes that have taken place in Guangxi over the past five decades, particularly since the beginning of China's reform and opening-up drive.

The "historic changes" refer to the strong economic growth in Guangxi, the marked improvement of living standards, the harmonious development of ethnic relations and overall social progress.

The achievements made through the joint efforts of officials and the public in Guangxi over the past 50 years are a success of the Communist Party's ethnic policies, the socialist road with Chinese characteristics and the system of regional autonomy in minority ethnic areas, it said.

As China's reform and development are standing at a new historic point, to accelerate Guangxi's development and consolidate equal and harmonious ethnic relations conforms with the fundamental interests of local people. It is also the common aspirations of the central authorities and the whole nation, the message said.

It pledged that the Party and government will, as always, create more favorable conditions for the region to achieve sound and rapid development.

The region, gateway to Southeast Asia, was founded on December 11, 1958. As one of five ethnic minority autonomous regions, it has 12 ethnic groups.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2008)