Xi goes to Inner Mongolia on inspection tour

Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Monday.

During his inspection, Xi went to a community in Chifeng City to learn about the situation of Party building at the grassroots level as well as ethnic unity and integration. A troupe of Ulan Muqir was rehearsing when Xi arrived.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, shakes hands with residents of a community at Songshan District in Chifeng City, China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 15, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

He called on the troupe to promote literary and artistic innovation and continue producing excellent works, adding that it is important to support and promote artistic activities in the process of spiritual civilization construction in the new era.

Ulan Muqir is the Mongolian name of a local traveling cultural troupe established in 1957 that goes from one grazing site to another, providing cultural performance to herdsmen in some of the region's most remote areas.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a community at Songshan District in Chifeng City, China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 15, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

Later, he visited the Chifeng Museum, where he was briefed on the evolution of the local history and culture of the city and talked with the inheritors of the epic of King Gesar.

The Gesar epic tradition was listed as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.

The president said more efforts should be paid to protect and inherit the intangible cultural heritage of ethnic minorities.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits Chifeng Museum in Chifeng City, China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 15, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

Xi also went to a forest farm in Maanshan Village of Chifeng City during his stay there. He spoke about the construction of ecological civilization, rural revitalization and ethnic unity.

The president said that building an ecological security barrier in the north of China is a strategic task.

When arriving at Maanshan Village in Harqin Banner of Chifeng City, the president told residents that the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has always been a model of ethnic harmony and unity.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits Maanshan forest farm to learn about ecological civilization building in Harqin Qi of Chifeng City, China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 15, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]