China making ‘ethnic unity’ mandatory has been speculated as an anti-minority approach.

The People’s Congress of Tibet passed a law that makes ‘ethnic unity’ in Tibetan government and social institutions mandatory, RFA and Tibet Watch have said.

This law will come into effect from 1 May 2020.

The passage of the law follows a speech by Xi Jinping on 27 September 2019 in Beijing where he discussed the importance of strengthening CCP leadership over ethnic affairs, Tibet Watch said.

The law is intended as a new approach to “strengthen ethnic unity”, according to Chinese state-backed media.

It is set to be promoted, propagated and formalized at all levels and regions through various institutions, such as schools, colleges, the military, community organisations and religious centres.

Formal institutions, particularly schools, prisons and monasteries, have also become the primary targets of patriotic re-education policies pushed by the CCP. Tibetans have been forced to participate in official flag-raising ceremonies as well as the celebrations of traditional Han festivals.

Experts have already raised concerns about the backlash this new law could have.