BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- People from different ethnic groups and religions should seek solidarity and peaceful co-existence so as to build a harmonious society, a political advisor said Sunday.

    "Solidarity of the 56 ethnic groups of China is the basis for social harmony," said Ding Wenfang, vice president of the Islamic Association of China, at the third plenary meeting of the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top advisory body.

    Ding noted that the 56 ethnic groups, with varying population and history, shoulder the same responsibility for protecting the territorial integrity of the country, safeguarding the motherland's reunification and accelerating national development.

    Likewise, religious harmony is also part of the foundation of social harmony. "Whatever religion a person holds, he is a Chinese citizen first," Ding said. While enjoying the rights of citizenship, a person is also duty-bound to safeguard the nation and work for its stability and prosperity.

    Ding suggests that stories of heroes from different ethnic groups and religions be better spread so as to arouse people's pride and enhance their sense of responsibility for the nation and society.

    People from the 55 ethnic minorities make up 9.44 percent of China's 1.3 billion population. Religious believers total over 100 million, most of whom are in Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Catholicism and Taoism.