Xi tightens grip on minorities as world watches crises

As wars and diplomatic crises dominate global headlines, President Xi Jinping has seized the moment to tighten his hold on China's ethnic minorities with a new 'ethnic unity' law that critics condemn as forced assimilation. The legislation, which expands compulsory use of Mandarin and imposes stiff penalties for dissent, comes as the world's attention is focused on Iran, Ukraine, and Palestine, giving Beijing room to maneuver.

New law imposes Mandarin, curbs minority cultures

The law affects roughly 125 million people belonging to 55 ethnic and religious minority groups, who together make up about 9% of China's population. Xi has said the policy will boost national identity and integration, and that expanding the compulsory use of Mandarin will improve life and work prospects. He has called on minorities to 'hug tightly like pomegranate seeds' to build a strong, united China. But Tibetans, Mongolians, Uyghurs, and others who value their separate languages and customs say they see it as forced assimilation into an intolerant, Communist Party-dominated monoculture. For them, critics say, it amounts to ethnic cleansing by another name.

The law also extends its penalties to Chinese citizens living abroad, adding legal weight to efforts to enforce the party's will. Human rights groups warn that it creates a politically compliant population that dares not answer back.

Outcry from activists and governments

Western governments have condemned the law, though often in muted terms, while organisations such as Amnesty International have been more outspoken. Earlier last month, the self-immolation of Lobga Rangzen, a Free Tibet activist protesting outside the United Nations in New York, briefly drew international attention to the issue. Such tragedies are not new, activists say, and they point to wholesale repression in Tibet and brutal 're-education' camps in Xinjiang as long-standing examples of Xi's intensifying war on dissent, difference, and diversity.

The new law only intensifies existing concerns. It is seen as part of a broader crackdown on all forms of opposition, including the evisceration of democracy in Hong Kong, the vindictive prosecution of pro-democracy activists such as former Apple Daily publisher Jimmy Lai, and the suppression of independent Christian churches and 'unapproved' religious groups.

Domestic crackdown mirrors broader pattern

The ethnic unity law is not an isolated measure. It fits a pattern of increasingly aggressive and uncompromising policies that Xi has pursued since coming to power nearly 15 years ago. Under his leadership, China has moved to silence dissent, curb minority rights, and eliminate any challenge to Communist Party authority. This has led to a debilitating fatalism in the West, where many now view China as too big, too economically powerful, and too militarily threatening to influence, let alone contain.

Britain and other Western democracies have struggled to articulate a coherent China policy, often balancing trade against security and staying quiet on human rights. That has given Xi a freer hand to pursue his domestic agenda without fear of meaningful international consequences.

Xi's global ambitions and the path to 2027

Xi's assertiveness is not confined to domestic matters. He is growing ever more confident in pursuing his international legacy: establishing China as the dominant global power, relegating the United States to second place, and making China the essential hub of a new multipolar security, economic, and diplomatic order. His legacy list includes a takeover of Taiwan before he stands down and unchallenged supremacy across the Asia-Pacific region.

With the 21st party congress approaching in 2027, Xi appears intent on cementing his place as the greatest Chinese leader since Mao Zedong. The timing is significant: as the world's attention is absorbed by crises in Iran, Ukraine, and Palestine, he is tightening his grip both at home and abroad, signalling a more assertive, uncompromising China for years to come. The implications for global order and for China's minorities could be profound.