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, China’s government has faced criticism for policies aimed at suppressing ethnic minorities, pushing them toward assimilation into the majority Han culture. A forthcoming law, to be fast-tracked during this week’s parliamentary session, is expected to reinforce and accelerate this trend, raising concerns among scholars and advocates about the erosion of minority rights and cultural identities.

The law, titled “Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress,” is framed by Beijing as essential for fostering “modernisation through greater unity.” It diminishes the role of regional languages, prioritises Mandarin, and mandates intermarriage between Han Chinese and other ethnic groups. Additionally, it requires families to instill loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party in minors and outlaws any actions deemed harmful to “ethnic unity.”

“Whether it is the promotion of Mandarin or the restrictions on expression of ethnic minority identity, religious practices and so forth, the regime is saying that all that stuff we did is correct and, we are so confident in that, that we are going to now elevate what was previously just sort of policy to the level of basic law,” says Aaron Glasserman from the University of Pennsylvania.

China recognises 55 official ethnic minority groups, each with populations ranging from tens of thousands to millions. However, the government has long targeted specific communities, particularly in Xinjiang and Tibet, where it faces the most severe accusations of human rights abuses. In Xinjiang, Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities have been central to these disputes, while Tibetans have clashed with Beijing’s rule.

Historical tensions are evident in past events: during the 2008 Olympics, Tibetan monks protested in Lhasa, leading to 22 fatalities according to official reports, though exiled groups claim the toll was closer to 200. Similarly, in 2009, violent confrontations in Urumqi left nearly 200 people dead. More recently, government actions in Inner Mongolia and Ningxia have sparked unrest, with restrictions on language education and mosque demolitions reported.

Analysts suggest the law aims to replace existing legal safeguards for minority rights, allowing the state to exert greater control over regions vital to China’s connectivity with neighboring countries and global trade routes. The China Power Project’s analysis of the legislation highlights 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.”

Human rights organisations and the United Nations allege that over a million Uyghur Muslims have been held in detention centers, which the government describes as “re-education” facilities. These sites are linked to curtailed religious practices and the closure of mosques. In Tibet, monasteries—once powerful institutions—now operate under strict state oversight. Young people are required to study Mandarin in state schools, displacing traditional Buddhist education for many.

Xi Jinping’s push for the “Sinicisation of religion” is seen as a key component of this strategy, aligning cultural and religious practices with Communist Party ideals. The law serves to institutionalise these policies, ensuring their permanence in Chinese law.