The implementation of China’s ‘Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress’ is raising concerns about broader regional implications, potentially expanding the Chinese Communist Party’s ideological influence in neighboring countries and beyond. According to a report by the International Campaign for Tibet, the law enables the CCP to establish a unified national identity and singular idea of China, driven by authoritarian ideology.
Representative Tsewang Gylapo Arya, writing for ‘Japan Forward’, emphasized the need for the international community to oppose this law, stating that it extends beyond minority rights issues and should not be viewed as solely China’s internal affairs. The law, with seven chapters and sixty-five articles, emphasizes Chinese (Han) chauvinism through phrases like ‘Chinese national’ and ‘Chinese nation’, promoting loyalty to the CCP rather than the nation itself.
Arya highlighted that the law, passed by China’s National People’s Congress on March 12, contradicts both the Chinese Constitution and the Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law. By aiming to designate existing minority nationals as ethnic minorities and elevate the Chinese majority as supreme, the legislation overlooks the preservation and promotion of minority languages, religions, and cultures as guaranteed by existing laws.
Condemning the move, Arya criticized China’s approach of using laws to legitimize repression, stating that it signifies a shift towards achieving its goals through legal means rather than force and intimidation tactics.
