China Advances Sweeping Ethnic Unity Legislation Amid Assimilation Warnings
China is moving to approve comprehensive legislation aimed at promoting what it describes as "ethnic unity," a measure that critics argue will significantly undermine the rights of minority groups by accelerating a state-driven push toward cultural assimilation. The law, anticipated to be ratified by the National People's Congress on Thursday, seeks to foster "a stronger sense of community among all ethnic groups in the Chinese nation," according to delegate Lou Qinjian, who presented the proposal.
Mandatory Mandarin Adoption and Educational Shifts
The proposed law outlines requirements for all government bodies, private enterprises, local administrations, and state-affiliated organisations like the All-China Women's Federation to actively promote ethnic unity. It mandates that "the people of each ethnic group, all organisations and groups of the country, armed forces, every Party and social organisation, every company, must forge a common consciousness of the Chinese nation according to law and the constitution."
Academics and observers highlight that a key provision represents a significant setback for ethnic minority identities by enforcing the use of Mandarin Chinese throughout compulsory education. Article 15 specifies that Mandarin must be taught to all children from preschool through high school, effectively relegating minority languages to secondary status nationwide.
Historical Context and Constitutional Contradictions
China's population is predominantly Han Chinese, with 55 recognised ethnic minorities comprising 8.9% of citizens. The constitution guarantees each ethnicity "the right to use and develop their own language" and "the right to self-rule," while the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy promises limited autonomy, including economic development flexibility.
However, experts warn that the new law will likely take precedence in practice. James Leibold, a professor at Australia's LaTrobe University, stated, "It puts a death nail in the party's original promise of meaningful autonomy," describing it as a capstone of President Xi Jinping's "major rethink" of ethnic policies.
Regional Implications and Past Protests
Mandarin is already the primary instructional language in regions with large minority populations like Inner Mongolia, Tibet, and Xinjiang, but the law formalises this approach nationally. Previously, ethnic minorities had some autonomy in school language choices; for instance, students in Inner Mongolia could study much of the curriculum in Mongolian until 2020.
That year, policy changes replaced Mongolian textbooks with Chinese versions, sparking massive protests and a subsequent crackdown, including re-education campaigns. Currently, students in the region can only study Mongolian as a foreign language for one hour daily.
Community Integration and International Parallels
The law also promotes "mutually embedded community environments," which scholars interpret as potentially breaking up minority-concentrated neighbourhoods by encouraging Han and minority migration. Minglang Zhou, a professor at the University of Maryland, noted, "The intention is to encourage Han and other minorities to migrate into each other's communities."
While China asserts its approach brings development to minority areas, and many countries like the US pursue similar assimilation policies, critics dispute this. Maya Wang, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, argued, "The question was never so much about ensuring their participation in the economy in an equitable manner," because policies are forced upon groups like Tibetans. "A truly inclusive model does not preclude the ability of children to speak two languages."
Extraterritorial Enforcement and Human Rights Concerns
The legislation establishes a legal basis for prosecuting individuals or organisations outside China if their actions are deemed to harm "ethnic unity," echoing clauses in Hong Kong's National Security Law that allow prosecution of overseas activities perceived as secession or subversion.
Rayhan Asat, a legal scholar at Harvard University, warned, "The law serves as a strategic tool and gives the pretext to government to commit all sorts of human rights violations." Her brother, Ekpar Asat, is serving a 15-year prison sentence in Xinjiang on charges of inciting ethnic discrimination and hatred, with the family receiving no formal notice of his arrest or trial.
Ethnic Uighurs, a Muslim minority, have faced long-term detention campaigns, with thousands imprisoned after short-term internment camps reportedly closed in 2019. Experts assert many are targeted for their identity rather than crimes. Asat expressed hope that US President Donald Trump would raise her brother's case in an upcoming summit with Xi, fearing for the preservation of Uighur identity: "I think preserving any sort of Uighur identity would be impossible."
