China approves ‘ethnic unity’ law requiring minorities to learn Chinese

China has passed a sweeping new law that authorities call a step towards strengthening “ethnic unity,” but critics say it could further restrict the rights of ethnic minorities, the BBC writes. Officially, the initiative aims to better integrate the country’s 56 recognized ethnic groups, of which the majority are Han. The plan includes measures in the areas of education and housing. At the same time, according to critics, it could lead to the gradual loss of minority languages ​​and cultures.

The law requires all children to learn Chinese (Mandarin) before entering kindergarten and continue learning it until they graduate from high school. Previously, students could complete large portions of the program in their native languages, such as Tibetan, Uyghur or Mongolian. The document was approved on March 12 at the end of the annual parliamentary session, at which legislative initiatives are traditionally formally approved.

Authorities in Beijing say compulsory Chinese language learning will help the younger generation gain more opportunities in the job market. According to the official version, the law on “promoting ethnic unity and progress” should play an important role in modernizing the country by strengthening national unity. The document was put to a vote and adopted at a session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, a body that traditionally approves proposed initiatives and has not previously rejected items on its agenda.

The law also provides for legal action against parents or guardians who, in the opinion of authorities, instill in their children views that could harm inter-ethnic harmony. It also calls for the creation of “mutual communities,” which some analysts say could lead to the dispersal of areas with large minority populations. Since the late 2000s, the Chinese authorities have been promoting the policy of the so-called “Sinicization” of national minorities. Its goal is to forge a more unified national identity through the gradual integration of various ethnic groups into the dominant Han culture. Han Chinese make up more than 90% of China’s population of more than 1.4 billion people.

Beijing has long been criticized for restricting the rights of minorities in regions such as Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia. Assimilation processes in these regions have often been forced, critics say, and the policy has intensified under leader Xi Jinping, who has taken a tougher stance on protests and dissent, especially in ethnic minority areas. In Tibet, authorities detained monks and tightened controls on monasteries to curb veneration of the Dalai Lama. In Xinjiang, human rights groups report mass detentions of Uyghur Muslims, estimating as many as a million people. Chinese authorities call the facilities “re-education” camps, but the UN has accused Beijing of serious human rights violations.