Foreign officials and human rights experts praise China's preservation of ethnic culture

Officials and human rights experts from 11 countries visited Taoping village in Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province, on Tuesday, witnessing China's practices in preserving ethnic culture while boosting the local economy through cultural tourism.

Established by the Qiang people — one of China's oldest ethnic groups — more than 2,100 years ago, Taoping features a maze-like architectural complex, an underground water network and ancient stone watchtowers. In recent years, the village has revitalized traditional crafts and folk festivals while developing its tourism industry.

In 2016, it received the Outstanding Project Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation from UNESCO, and in 2024, it was named a Best Tourism Village by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

During their visit, delegates experienced traditional watchtower building techniques, Qiang embroidery, folk music and dance, and learned about the protection and inheritance practices of these intangible cultural heritage.

Fabio Marcelli, senior researcher and former director of the Institute for International Legal Studies of Italy's National Research Council, said he was impressed by how well Qiang culture has been preserved. While strolling through the village, he bought a traditional Qiang outfit for his 12-year-old granddaughter and an embroidered piece for his wife as gifts.

"Indigenous people have two kinds of rights that should be respected: the right to their own identity and the right to participation," Marcelli said. "The Chinese system is an example of how to achieve both."

He noted that China has 55 ethnic minorities and that their cultural diversity is fully safeguarded by national policies.

"The Chinese experience is a model that could be followed in many other countries," he said.

Sylvester Sinvula Sibungo, a senior official from Namibia's Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations, who has long focused on the right to development, said China is doing an excellent job in this regard.

"It's unbelievable to see a place like this. I feel like I'm in paradise," Sibungo said.

He noted that traditional crafts and customs have been well preserved here, and these efforts have boosted tourism, bringing tangible benefits to local residents. "This is a very good model. We should copy what China is doing," he said.