Ethnic unity gains a legal foundation for preserving diversity

China's new Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law marks a consequential shift in how ethnic affairs are managed. Previously, these matters were primarily guided by broad constitutional principles, policies and sector-specific legislation. Now, they are being addressed within a more systematic legal framework.

Adopted on March 12 by the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress and effective from July 1, this law is a fundamental tool for implementing relevant constitutional provisions, managing ethnic affairs and carrying out ethnic work in the new era. It provides a comprehensive legal foundation for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

While China's Constitution establishes fundamental principles of ethnic equality, regional ethnic autonomy and the protection of the rights of ethnic groups, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Regional National Autonomy provides a legal framework for regional ethnic autonomy. But neither was designed to address all aspects of ethnic affairs in a rapidly changing society.

The new law fills this gap. It translates broad political and constitutional principles into actionable rules that touch education, public services, economic development, cultural life, language, social governance and other areas of everyday life. In that sense, the legislation acts as a bridge between constitutional principle and social practice.

The legislative process of the law also reflects its weight. Identified as a major task by the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, the draft was reviewed by the NPC Standing Committee before being adopted by the full NPC. This process grants the legislation a broader institutional mandate than a narrowly focused administrative regulation or local rule.

The preamble of the law is particularly significant. It outlines the historical and political rationale behind the legislation and positions the Chinese nation, formed through the interaction of diverse ethnic groups, at the center of the law's framework. The concept of a community for the Chinese nation is thus given a concrete place within a legal structure.

This structure also embodies an important idea: unity does not necessarily mean uniformity. The law promotes the use of the standard Chinese language while encouraging different ethnic groups to learn one another's languages and scripts. This approach is significant because the relationship between commonality and diversity is a central question that any multiethnic society must address. The law strengthens a shared national foundation while retaining legal space for ethnic diversity.

This is also where the law's emphasis on civilization becomes meaningful. Ethnic unity cannot be sustained only by economic development or cultural symbolism. It requires education, public services, social interaction, cultural development and a shared sense of belonging. By linking these dimensions, the law presents the building of the Chinese national community as part of a broader process of social and civilizational development.

Despite criticism from some Western politicians, often framed in political terms rather than through a close reading of the legislation itself, the debate is not one-sided. A European Parliament resolution calling on China to repeal the law reflects concerns about undermining ethnic identities. However, 52 MEPs voted against the resolution and 71 abstained, indicating that some European lawmakers are unwilling to endorse these assumptions outright.

A broader change is also underway. China's visa-free policies and growing presence on international digital platforms are giving more foreigners opportunities to experience the country first-hand. As such experiences become more common, inherited narratives about China are likely to face closer scrutiny. The law should therefore be judged less by political labels than by its actual text, implementation and impact on people's everyday lives.

In China's border and ethnic minority areas, such as Yunnan province, legal workers are combining legal education with promoting the national common language while using locally familiar languages and cultural practices. Such efforts show how legislative principles can become tangible in courtrooms, villages, schools and communities.

The law is more than a political statement. It represents an attempt to institutionalize a model of ethnic affairs governance in which unity, development, cultural exchange and the rule of law reinforce one another.

The real test begins now. If the law can translate its principles into more effective public services, wider opportunities, stronger social interaction and greater participation in modernization, its significance will extend far beyond the statute book. The ultimate measure of ethnic unity is not how often it is proclaimed, but whether people of different backgrounds can see their shared future becoming more concrete in their everyday lives.

That is where law meets society — and where this new legislation will prove its worth.

The author is a Chinese legal blogger, a participant in the Chinese reality TV show An Exciting Offer, and a graduate of Renmin University of China.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily. 

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