中国制定了民族区域自治法，实行民族区域自治制度，充分尊重和保障各少数民族管理本民族内部事务的权利，依法保障各少数民族的合法权益。目前，依据宪法和法律，中国共建立了155个民族自治地方，包括5个自治区、30个自治州、120个自治县(旗)。此外，还建立了1100多个民族乡。根据宪法和民族区域自治法的规定，民族自治地方拥有广泛的自治权。一是自主管理本民族、本地区的内部事务。民族自治地方的人民代表大会常务委员会中，都有实行区域自治的民族的公民担任主任或者副主任；自治区主席、自治州州长、自治县县长全部由实行区域自治的民族的公民担任。二是民族自治地方的人民代表大会有权依照当地民族的政治、经济和文化的特点，制定自治条例和单行条例，并可以依照当地民族的特点，依法对法律和行政法规的规定作出变通规定。截至2011年8月底，民族自治地方共制定现行有效的自治条例和单行条例780多部。三是使用和发展本民族语言文字。中国55个少数民族中，53个民族有自己的语言，共使用72种语言；29个少数民族有本民族的文字。中国宪法和民族区域自治法确立的民族区域自治制度，符合中国各民族人民的共同利益和发展要求，保障各少数民族依法自主管理本民族事务，民主参与国家和社会事务管理，平等享有经济、政治、社会和文化权利，维护了平等、团结、互助、和谐的民族关系。

China has enacted the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy, which ensures the implementation of the system of regional ethnic autonomy, fully respects and guarantees the right of ethnic minorities to administer their own affairs, and protects the legitimate rights and interests of the ethnic minorities by law. According to the Constitution and laws, China has currently 155 ethnic autonomous areas, i.e. five autonomous regions, 30 autonomous prefectures and 120 autonomous counties (banners). In addition, there are over 1,100 villages where ethnic minorities live in concentrated communities. According to the Constitution and the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy, ethnic autonomous areas have extensive autonomous power. First, they have the exclusive right to govern the local affairs of their ethnic groups and other affairs within their respective administrative regions. The chairman or vice-chairmen of the standing committee of the people's congress of an ethnic autonomous area must be a member of the ethnic group exercising regional autonomy in the area, and the head of an autonomous region, autonomous prefecture or autonomous county must be a citizen of the ethnic group exercising regional autonomy in the area concerned. Secondly, the people's congresses of ethnic autonomous areas have the power to enact regulations on the exercise of autonomy and separate regulations in the light of the political, economic and cultural characteristics of the ethnic group or groups in the areas concerned, and by law may also make adaptations to the provisions of laws and administrative regulations in the light of the characteristics of the ethnic group(s) in the areas concerned. By the end of August 2011, the ethnic autonomous areas had enacted more than 780 regulations on the exercise of autonomy, as well as separate regulations, which are currently in force. Thirdly, ethnic autonomous areas use and develop their own spoken and written languages. Fifty-three of the 55 minority groups have their own languages, and there are altogether 72 languages; 29 minority groups have their own scripts. The system of regional ethnic autonomy established by the Constitution and the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy is consistent with the common interests and development needs of all China's ethnic groups. It guarantees the minority groups' self-government of their own affairs by law, their democratic participation in the administration of state and social affairs, and their equal entitlement to economic, political, social and cultural rights, and maintains relations of equality, solidarity, mutual assistance and harmony among ethnic groups.