China recently passed the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed concern over this, stating that the move heightens the risk of legalized assimilation policies, and restricts minority language education as well as freedom of religious and cultural belief.
The closing meeting of China’s National People’s Congress was held on the afternoon of the 12th at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, during which 11 voting items were passed. Among them, the widely watched Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law was approved with 2,756 votes in favor, 3 votes against, and 3 abstentions.
According to the draft reviewed at this National People’s Congress meeting, the new law explicitly stipulates the "comprehensive promotion and popularization of the national common language and scripts," namely Putonghua (Mandarin) and standardized Chinese characters.
This law requires government agencies, social groups, enterprises and institutions, and other social organizations that "need to use both the national common language and script and minority languages and scripts in public places" to give prominence to the national common language and script "in terms of position, order, etc."
Human Rights Groups: Further Marginalization of Ethnic Minorities
Agence France-Presse reported on the 13th, citing warnings from human rights organizations, that this law will further marginalize ethnic minorities such as the Uyghurs.
On the X platform of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Türk expressed concern over the passage of this law.
He said, "This move increases the risk of legalized assimilation policies, restricts minority language education, and freedom of religious and cultural belief. The legal provisions excessively restrict freedoms of expression, belief, and assembly, and penalize minorities’ exercise of peaceful rights. International human rights law requires states to protect minorities’ ethnic, linguistic, and religious identity."