China’s rubber-stamp parliament set to approve ‘ethnic unity’ law

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Amy Hawkins in BeijingMarch 12, 2026 at 01:00 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

China's National People's Congress (NPC) is expected to approve a new "ethnic unity" law during its annual two sessions gathering, alongside an environmental code and the 15th five-year plan. The NPC, known for its consistent approval of agenda items, will vote on the laws after a week of debate. The ethnic unity law mandates the prioritization of Mandarin in schools and public signage, potentially diminishing the use of minority languages like Tibetan, Uyghur, and Mongolian. This law aligns with President Xi Jinping's policy of "sinicization," aiming to assimilate ethnic minorities into the Han Chinese culture. The two sessions also highlighted China's historically low 4.5% GDP growth target for 2026, reflecting shifting economic priorities.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Yalkun Uluyol 30% Mongolian ×230% Uyghur 30% Tibetan 30% Human Rights Watch 40% Zhao Leji 40% Inner Mongolia 40% Li Qiang 50% Beijing ×360% Xi Jinping ×270% China ×890% National People's Congress (NPC) ×790%

Keywords

ethnic unity law 100% china 90% national people's congress 80% minority ethnic languages 80% mandarin 70% sinicisation 60% economic planning 50% gdp growth target 50% two sessions 40%