The PRC Constitution itself formally recognizes equality among ethnic groups and the protection of their linguistic and cultural distinctiveness, yet this new law subordinates minorities to a ‘unified’ identity.
On July 1, 2026, the Law on Ethnic Unity and Progress came into effect in the People’s Republic of China, mandating the use of Mandarin as the primary language of instruction in all schools at every level. President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party he leads describe this law as a tool to strengthen social cohesion and economic development, but the reality—as is often the case in Beijing—is quite different from the propaganda disseminated by the state. The Constitution of the People’s Republic of China itself formally recognizes equality among ethnic groups and the protection of their linguistic and cultural distinctiveness, yet this new law subordinates minorities to the “unified” identity favored by the Party, requires the country’s cultural institutions to prioritize a certain historical narrative, and effectively promotes the homogenization rather than the respect of diversity. Beijing’s repressive policies in Xinjiang, Mongolia, Tibet, and throughout the country have long been denounced. But there is more.
Article 63 of the above-mentioned law provides for the prosecution of organizations and individuals outside the borders of the People’s Republic of China who are “accused” of engaging in activities that undermine ethnic unity or promote separatism. This provision raises concerns about its potential extraterritorial effects on freedom of expression, research, and information.
Before the legislation was passed, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, had expressed strong concerns, calling for its repeal along with an end to practices deemed harmful to the rights of minorities. The European Parliament, too, issued a resolution calling on Beijing to back down. All these appeals have gone unheeded. For years, through its system of boarding schools, Beijing has been separating approximately one million Tibetan children from their families in the name of Sinicization. Further, in the name of the dominant Han ethnic group, it destroys Mongolian traditions or persecutes the Uyghurs for their religious beliefs.
China’s autocratic nature is becoming increasingly evident, but on such fundamental issues as the protection of human rights—including freedom of thought, expression, and religion, the right to education, and the right to preserve one’s language and cultural identity—there should be no compromise. The protection of ethnic, linguistic, and religious minorities is a principle recognized by international law and a commitment that all United Nations member states are called upon to respect and promote.
This “extraterritorial Sinocentrism,” which China seeks to impose by systematically extending its jurisdiction beyond its national borders, is therefore a source of grave concern. What are now referred to as “racial laws” join other regulations adopted since the early years of Xi Jinping’s presidency: in particular, the 2017 National Intelligence Law. It authorizes security agencies to monitor and investigate all foreign and domestic individuals and entities in any situation that the authorities deem relevant to internal security. These are obligations imposed with severe penalties on all Chinese citizens and companies, both at home and abroad, with the specific duty to actively cooperate with the entire, extensive security and intelligence apparatus governed by the Chinese Communist Party.
While the “racial laws” are only now coming into effect, the security laws have been in force for a decade. The serious effects they are having on Western democracies and in Europe are plain to see: Beijing’s interference and disinformation campaigns in our civil societies are on the rise, as is intimidation directed at communities of Chinese origin even within our own borders.
*Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata is a Senator of the Italian Republic and the President of the Permanent committee on European Affairs.
