China Passes Sweeping Law Mandating Assimilation of Tibetans

 On March 12, 2026, China enacted the "Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress" law, marking a historic shift from ethnic autonomy to forced assimilation. The legislation legally mandates the integration of Tibetans and other minority groups into a single Chinese national identity dictated by the Communist Party. Stripping away longstanding constitutional protections for ethnic languages and cultures, the law redefines minority policies through a strict national security lens. It notably mandates Cultural Revolution-style surveillance within families and includes broad extraterritorial provisions that rights groups warn will escalate transnational repression against exiled dissidents and diaspora communities worldwide.