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China Passes 'Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress,' Formalizing Drive for Ethnic Integration
China Passes 'Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress'
China's top legislative body passed the 'Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress' on Thursday. The bill formalizes China's long-standing policy to strengthen national identity and promote ethnic integration. It was approved at the closing ceremony of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) annual session in Beijing. State media Xinhua News Agency reported that the law aims to codify a 'sense of community for the Chinese nation' as a national policy.
Bill's Objectives and Critical Perspectives
The bill aims to promote high-quality development in regions with large ethnic minority populations and 'common prosperity' among its 56 ethnic groups. Li Hongzhong, Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, stated that the bill is intended to advance ethnic affairs governance under the rule of law. However, academics and outside observers are concerned that the provisions could weaken the cultural identities of ethnic minorities by requiring the use of Mandarin in compulsory education and establishing legal grounds for actions that undermine 'ethnic unity.' As of November 2020, Han Chinese accounted for 91.11% of China's population of 1.44 billion.
*Source: Fox News World (2026-03-12)*
