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The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) organised a panel discussion condemning China's new ethnic unity law as a legal framework that institutionalises the assimilation of Tibetans and other ethnic minorities.
According to CTA, the event, hosted by its Tibetan Policy Institute, brought together political leaders, academics and strategic experts to examine the implications of the law. Addressing the gathering, CTA President (Sikyong) Penpa Tsering argued that while the legislation uses terms such as "unity" and "harmony," it effectively formalises decades of policies targeting Tibetan language, religion, culture and identity. Tsering stated that the measures contained in the law are not new but rather provide legal backing to existing policies already implemented through education reforms, religious controls, surveillance and administrative directives. He alleged that Beijing is giving long-standing assimilation policies a legal foundation, making them more difficult to challenge domestically and internationally. The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile had unanimously adopted a resolution rejecting the legislation, describing it as incompatible with international human rights standards as well as provisions of China's Constitution and regional ethnic autonomy laws. During the discussion, Tsering said the legislation extends beyond Tibet and could affect Uyghur and Mongolian communities by promoting a single state-defined national identity over distinct ethnic identities. He further claimed the law may be used to suppress criticism of China's policies by portraying dissent as opposition to the rule of law, as highlighted by CTA. Other speakers echoed similar concerns. China analyst Jayadeva Ranade argued that ethnic minority representation has declined under President Xi Jinping, while researcher Dr Tenzin Desal said Beijing's governance model has failed to create a genuine sense of belonging among Tibetans despite extensive development projects. Concluding the event, the CTA reaffirmed its support for the Dalai Lama's Middle Way Approach, which seeks genuine autonomy for Tibet within China rather than independence, as reported by CTA. (ANI)
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