China passes 'ethnic unity' law in push for assimilation

China's legislature passed the "Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law" on Thursday in Beijing, formalizing the government's push for national identity and ethnic integration. The law aims to foster a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and promote common prosperity among its 56 ethnic groups. It requires all organizations and individuals to forge a common Chinese national consciousness. Critics, including academics and legal scholars, say the law could undermine the cultural identity of ethnic minorities, potentially through mandatory Mandarin education and by establishing a legal basis to pursue those deemed to undermine "ethnic unity," even outside of China. The law comes as China's population is comprised of approximately 91% Han Chinese and 9% ethnic minorities.

Explore how the topics in this article connect to other news stories

Discover articles with similar content using semantic similarity analysis.