China's Ethnic Unity Law sparks global criticism over minority rights

On 1 July 2026 China enacted the “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law,” which mandates that ethnic minorities adopt a state‑defined national identity and criminalises actions deemed to undermine ethnic unity. The legislation targets Uyghurs, Tibetans, Mongolians and other non‑Han groups, imposing Mandarin‑only education, restrictions on religious practice and broader cultural assimilation.

Human‑rights groups, including Amnesty International, warn the law provides a legal basis for intensified transnational repression, allowing Chinese authorities to pursue activists and organisations abroad. At a UN Human Rights Council side event in Geneva, representatives of the Central Tibetan Administration and other NGOs criticised the law as violating international human‑rights obligations and urged stronger monitoring and possible sanctions.

Parliamentary bodies in the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy and the United States have issued statements condemning the law, highlighting its extraterritorial provisions that could criminalise overseas advocacy. The UK All‑Party Parliamentary Group on Tibet called on the British government to oppose the legislation, while the CTA’s president appealed to governments worldwide to curb what he described as “elements of genocide.”