BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for sustained efforts to promote high-quality development and common prosperity in areas with large ethnic minority populations.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to people in Jingning She Autonomous County, east China's Zhejiang Province.

Established in 1984, Jingning is China's sole autonomous county of the She ethnic group. The population of the She ethnic group stood at 18,410 at the end of last year, roughly 11 percent of the county's total.

The county's Party and government authorities recently sent a letter to Xi, highlighting Jingning's achievements over the past 40 years and vowing to take the lead in promoting common prosperity in ethnic regions.

Commending the accomplishments of the 40-year-old county, Xi said he is happy to know that people of all ethnic groups are leading better lives.

He encouraged Jingning to continue to uphold fine traditions, strengthen ethnic unity, and leverage its unique advantages to usher in a new chapter of development.