China’s ethnic unity law denounced as ‘forced assimilation’ by rights groups | China

A new ethnic unity law has come into force in China, despite warnings from Taiwan, the United Nations and rights groups that it could threaten the freedoms of minorities in particular.

The Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress Act aims to create a “common” national identity among ethnic groups, for example by strengthening the official language status of Mandarin. But campaigners abroad argued this would further undermine the rights of ethnic minorities such as Uyghurs and Tibetans, whom Beijing accuses of atrocities.

Critics also point to a clause stating that people can be held liable for violating the law even when they are outside China, saying it gives the Chinese government more justification to target rivals abroad.

Sarah Brooks, deputy regional director at Amnesty International, said the law required “political and ideological alignment with the Chinese Communist Party” and would “further institutionalize policies of forced assimilation”.

“Chinese officials have human rights obligations that require them to protect minority communities and cultures, but this law does the exact opposite,” Brooks said.

Amnesty International warned that the law forced ethnic groups “to adopt a single state-defined national identity dominated by Han Chinese culture”, referring to ethnic majorities.

Beijing consistently denies rights abuses against any ethnic group and maintains they all benefit from China’s internal security and economic development policies.

Taiwan expressed its “strong condemnation” of the law on Wednesday, the same day it came into force, saying it expanded “threats and intimidation against our country’s people and other nations.”

“In the future, persons from any country whose words or actions are not accepted by China may become targets of or be pursued under the law,” the foreign ministry said.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened the self-ruled democratic island with use of force.

In Washington, nine U.S. lawmakers, including the top Republican and top Democrat on the Senate foreign relations committee, voiced staunch opposition to the legislation and vowed to continue speaking out against Beijing’s attempt to “legitimize transnational pressure.”

Specifically, the senators said in a statement: “We are deeply concerned about the bill’s language requiring ideological alignment with the CCP. [Chinese Communist party]“It mandates that even persons outside China who are deemed by the Chinese government to undermine ‘ethnic unity and progress’ can be held legally accountable in China.”

The law formalizes long-standing policies to promote Mandarin as the language of education, official business and public spaces, and also includes provisions on social cohesion and the prevention of terrorism and separatism.

Various ethnic groups in China, especially in border areas, have their own languages ​​and have historically been allowed to use these languages ​​along with Mandarin in schools.

Beijing has also justified sweeping campaigns in areas with large minority populations as legitimate efforts to prevent the spread of terrorism and extremism.

A senior Chinese judiciary official defended the law last week, claiming it would target “illegal actions” that “undermine ethnic unity and progress or incite ethnic separatism.”

Deputy Minister of Justice Hu Weilie said that the article allowing enforcement abroad is “legitimate, lawful” [and] necessary”.

But UN human rights chief Volker Turk called for the law to be repealed, saying it risked “deepening restrictions on freedoms of language, education, religious practice, culture, expression and assembly”.

Uyghur and Tibetan advocates have called on countries to force China to stop the offensive, saying it aims to eliminate minority communities.

The Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Taiwanese already face high risks when traveling to China and warned that Beijing now has “another law to fabricate accusations”.

MAC said in a statement that Beijing would use the law “as a legal basis to further suppress and persecute human rights in