Why is China set to approve a new law promoting ‘ethnic unity’?
Why is China set to approve a new law promoting ‘ethnic unity’?
Over the years, the Chinese government has been criticized for enforcing policies that allegedly suppress ethnic minorities, pushing them toward integration with the majority Han culture. A recently proposed law, poised for approval during the country’s annual parliamentary session this week, is expected to accelerate this process. According to scholars and advocates for minority rights, the legislation will reinforce existing measures and introduce new constraints, potentially worsening challenges for ethnic groups in preserving their identities.
The government frames the law as essential for fostering “modernisation through greater unity,” officially naming it the “Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress Act.” This includes measures that prioritize Mandarin over other languages, incentivize intermarriage between Han Chinese and minority groups, and mandate education on the Chinese Communist Party for minors. It also outlaws actions perceived as undermining “ethnic unity,” which critics argue can be applied broadly to silence dissent.
Xi Jinping has consistently advocated for the “Sinicisation of religion,” requiring faith practices to align with the Communist Party’s vision of Chinese cultural norms. Analysts suggest this law is a formalisation of the policies already central to his governance. “What was once a policy initiative is now elevated to the status of fundamental law,” says Aaron Glasserman of the University of Pennsylvania, highlighting the government’s confidence in its approach.
Historical Context of Ethnic Tensions
China officially recognises 55 distinct minority ethnic groups, each with varying population sizes. While the government has consistently addressed concerns about certain communities, such as the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and the Tibetans in the south, the law appears to target those seen as most challenging to national cohesion. The Communist Party has long used the threat of backlash to justify its stance, rather than offering more autonomy to minority regions.
Notable incidents include a 2008 uprising in Lhasa, where Tibetan monks protested Beijing’s control, resulting in clashes that killed approximately 22 people according to the government, though exiled groups estimate the toll was closer to 200. In 2013, a car bomb attack near Tiananmen Square targeted Han Chinese and Uyghur separatists, while in 2014, another Uyghur group attacked commuters at a Yunnan train station. These events are cited by Beijing as justification for its assertive measures.
Human rights organisations and the UN claim that over a million Uyghur Muslims have been detained in “re-education” facilities, where they are reportedly subjected to ideological training. Meanwhile, in Tibet, monasteries—once hubs of spiritual and cultural authority—have been tightly regulated. Children under 18 are now required to study Mandarin in state schools, limiting access to Buddhist teachings, a practice that contrasts with earlier traditions.
Broader Impacts and Regional Control
Recent tensions have also emerged in Inner Mongolia, where restrictions on Mongolian language education have sparked unrest, and in Ningxia, where Hui Muslim mosques have been demolished. These developments underscore the government’s concern about potential instability and its desire to centralise authority. The new law is viewed by some as a tool to override previous protections for minority rights, particularly in regions vital to China’s connections with neighboring countries and global trade networks.
According to the China Power Project, the law’s design echoes Mao Zedong’s assertion: “We say China is a country vast in territory, rich in resources and large in population; as a matter of fact, it is the Han nationality whose population is large and the minority nationalities whose territory is vast and whose resources are rich.” This sentiment underscores the government’s emphasis on Han dominance, even as it acknowledges the wealth of minority regions.
