China tells ethnic minorities to integrate or face consequences with sweeping new unity law

China has enacted a new "Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress," which officially came into effect on July 1, 2026. The legislation aims to foster a strong sense of national cohesion and a shared Chinese identity among its 56 officially recognized ethnic groups, advocating for the integration of minority cultures into the majority Han Chinese culture. This includes promoting Mandarin Chinese as the national language across all educational levels and public spaces.

The new law has sparked significant international criticism from human rights organizations, scholars, and governments. Critics argue it formalizes and escalates long-standing assimilationist policies, potentially intensifying the suppression of distinct ethnic identities, languages, and religious freedoms for groups such as Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Mongolians. Concerns are also heightened by the law's broad and undefined terms, which could lead to arbitrary enforcement.

Furthermore, a controversial extraterritorial clause in the law allows China to pursue legal action against individuals and organizations outside its borders for acts deemed to undermine ethnic unity or incite separatism. This provision has been widely condemned as a tool for transnational repression, raising fears that peaceful advocacy for minority rights globally could be criminalized and putting individuals, including foreign citizens, at risk.