Principles relating to new social classes were clarified by a senior official with the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee over the weekend.

The new social classes refer to those involved in private businesses and self-employed intellectuals. The number of people in both groups has risen to 20 million and is still rapidly increasing. Their contribution was described as tremendous to both the economic and social progress.

The Party says it will give reverence, assistance and guidance to both classes. This suggests that the CPC has realized the imperativeness of change in its policies to gain widespread support.

During the civil war in the 1940s, the united front work guideline was employed by the Party to isolate its enemy by joining forces with people from different political parties to ensure the CPC gained an upper hand both in the battlefields and the ideological realm.

Nowadays, this guideline must serve the needs of economic and social development and help build a harmonious society. Extensive cohesion and inclusiveness epitomize the core of the CPC's united front work.

As pioneers in both economic reforms and ideological field in this increasingly pluralized and diversified country, these two social groups play a more and more important role in various fields and even set the trends for the young generation in many areas.

So the special emphasis the CPC has placed on the inclusion of both social groups into its united front work is of great significance to the realization of its goal of building an affluent and harmonious society.

First and foremost, the CPC must create an environment conducive to the development of these people. Relevant policies the Party makes must show enough respect for the contributions these people have made and enable them to achieve more. Only in this way can the Party gain their respect and understanding.

Without such respect and understanding, the CPC will it hard to establish a close contact with both groups, to say nothing of ensuring cohesion and inclusion of them in its united front.

These people are usually gathered under non-governmental organizations or associations. How well the Party or government establishes and maintains a relationship with these organizations has a bearing on its united front work.

If the government supports these organizations with concrete means in their pursuit of legal interests, the Party can expect to establish a fairly good relationship with people from both classes.

Such a good relationship will set an example for the more extensive and inclusive united front work with other social groups, and will thus promote stability for economic and social development.

(China Daily 09/04/2006 page4)