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China passes new ethnic minority law, prioritizes use of Mandarin language
The law mandates Mandarin instruction from preschool to secondary school and criminalizes acts undermining ethnic unity, with 2,756 lawmakers approving it at the National People's Congress.
- On Thursday, China's National People's Congress approved the 'Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress' law by 2,756 votes, mandating Mandarin instruction in schools effective July 1.
- Targeting 85% Mandarin fluency by 2025, the new law formalizes an intensified push toward assimilation; officials claim Mandarin education improves job prospects while legislation mandates its use in government and official business.
- Allen Carlson, an associate professor of government at Cornell University, said the law underlines a move toward assimilation, requiring non-Han peoples to 'integrate with the majority' in public settings where Mandarin receives priority placement.
- Individuals outside China now face potential legal liability if they 'engage in activities that undermine ethnic unity' or incite 'ethnic separatism,' expanding the law's reach to diaspora activists and critics abroad.
- Human Rights Watch associate Asia director Maya Wang characterized the law as a 'formalization of existing, deeply abusive practices,' arguing the measure mobilizes the bureaucracy toward ethnic assimilation and threatens minority group identity.
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The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has expressed his concern about the adoption, i.e. in China of a "ethnic entity" law, which, in his opinion, could "limit religious and cultural freedom" from the Asian country, inform news agencies France Presse and Agerpres. New law, adopted by the National People's Association ...
·Romania
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China's People's National Assembly approved on Thursday a so-called "ethnic unity" law that human rights defenders consider harmful to minority languages and cultures in the country.
·Paris, France
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources19
Leaning Left2Leaning Right3Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution58% Center
Bias Distribution
- 58% of the sources are Center
58% Center
L 17%
C 58%
R 25%
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