Civic groups have strongly criticized China for its upcoming law aimed at promoting ethnic unity and progress, set to be enforced on July 1. They argue that the law, which emphasizes a single national identity, will lead to forced assimilation and cultural cleansing. The law is expected to impact various sectors including education, housing, population movement, community life, culture, tourism, and development, as reported by Taiwan-based Taipei Times.
Taiwan Economic Democracy Union convener Lai Chung-chiang highlighted that the law, under the guise of unity, targets Uyghurs, Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, Hong Kongers, and Taiwanese. He expressed concerns that the law could diminish Taiwan’s international cooperation efforts by exploiting linguistic similarities between “the Chinese nation” and “the Republic of China.”
According to Lai, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) agenda of the “great revival of the zhonghua minzu” aims at unification in terms of territory and ethnicity. He pointed out that President Xi Jinping’s initiatives, such as the 2019 “Five-point Plan” and the 2022 white paper from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, align the concept of rejuvenating the zhonghua minzu with the goal of reunification.
Political science associate professor Chen Fang-yu from Soochow University explained that China’s nationalism seeks to have people in Taiwan and Hong Kong identify as “Chinese” or “Han,” rejecting diverse ethnic identities. Civic groups criticized the CCP’s approach of enforcing “integration” through legislation, warning of potential hegemonic pressures on Taiwan.
The groups argued that the CCP’s notion of “unity” relies on state violence and the erosion of cultural dignity, contrasting with Taiwan’s emphasis on preserving ethnic diversity and the autonomy of cultural identity, as reported by Taipei Times. Earlier in May, Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) cautioned the public about cybersecurity risks associated with four popular Chinese-made mobile apps, including Amap, bilibili, iQIYI, and BIMOBIMO.
