The Chinese government has created a bureau to cater to new social classes, such as those working in new media, according to a Global Times report.
Experts agree that the move was undertaken to recognize the value of these burgeoning social classes.
Based on the official website of the United Front Work Department (UFWD), working under the Communist Party of China Central Committee (CPC), the new bureau will "unite managerial and technical staff from private and foreign enterprises, people who work in intermediaries and social organizations, freelancers and those working in new media organizations."
"Setting up a bureau for [these people] shows that the government places a high value on new social classes and recognizes their value. This will motivate them to contribute their energy and will enhance national unity," Wang Huiyao, think tank Center for China and Globalization director general, told the publication.
New social classes are regarded by Fu Siming, a professor at the CPC Party School, as "builders of the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics."
Fu emphasized that the government "should not only unite them, but also rely on them to pool their strengths for the country's overall development."
In May last year, Chinese President and CPC Central Committee General-Secretary Xi Jinping remarked that there is a need to improve the united front work among people from new media groups, Chinese who study abroad and intellectuals working for new social and economic organizations.
State-run Xinhua has also previously quoted Xi saying that uniting these non-CPC intellectuals is a fundamental strategy in realizing the party's aim to unite the country.
Meanwhile, Wang also suggested that government organizations should recruit more talent hailing from the new social strata and get valuable pieces of advice from them.
Nonetheless, UFWD stressed that as the new social classes are scattered, highly mobilized and active in thinking, they may pose problems at workplaces.
UFWD vowed to study these people first to have a grip on how they think and act. The department will immediately formulate a plan based on its findings.