After the establishment of the People's Republic of China,in response to the difficulties faced by the people in ethnic areas in buying and selling,the Party and government carried out ethnic trade work,which supplied urgently needed daily necessities in ethnic areas at prices lower than the market,while also purchasing agricultural and sideline local specialty products at prices higher than the market.From 1950 to 1965,the ethnic trade work in Yunnan mainly went through the following three stages:from 1950 to 1952 was the exploration stage,and ethnic trade work underwent exploration from scratch;from 1953 to 1957 was the formative stage,during which ethnic trade work flourished and a state-owned ethnic trade system was formed;from 1958 to 1965,it was a period of turbulence and recovery,and ethnic trade work quickly recovered and improved after experiencing brief setbacks.The work of ethnic trade effectively improved the living conditions in ethnic areas,promoted the circulation of goods and socio-economic development,and enhanced the identification of ethnic minority compatriots with the new people's political power through visible benefits.It was a people-centered project related to the long-term stability of the country.