China Tightens Control Over Minority Languages, Promoting Mandarin Assimilation

A new law in China is set to codify a decades-long push for assimilation of ethnic minorities, prioritizing Mandarin Chinese in education and public life. The move, expected to be passed by the People’s Congress, aims to strengthen national unity under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, but raises concerns about the preservation of linguistic and cultural diversity.

The Shift Away From Bilingual Education

For decades, schools in minority-dominated areas of China offered bilingual education, teaching core subjects in both Mandarin and the local minority language. However, this practice is being phased out. The new law stipulates that although minority languages can still be taught as a second language, they will no longer be used as the primary language of instruction in core subjects at schools and universities. This represents a significant departure from the policies of the 1970s, when then-Premier Zhou Enlai emphasized a vision of the People’s Republic as a multi-ethnic state with “multi-ethnic coexistence.”

Yanji: A Case Study in Linguistic Change

The changes are particularly noticeable in regions like Yanji, a city in Jilin Province with a significant Korean population. Residents report a decline in the prominence of the Korean language in schools. One Chinese man of Korean descent noted that Korean, once a major subject, is now a minor one. Yanji, located near the China-North Korea border, exhibits a unique blend of Chinese and Korean influences, with signs often appearing in both languages.

Broader Implications for Minority Groups

The law’s impact extends beyond the Korean minority. Tibetan and Uyghur communities are also facing increased pressure to adopt Mandarin. In Tibet, many children are now educated in boarding schools where Mandarin is the primary language, and the study of Tibetan Buddhism is restricted. Reports from Uyghur exiles indicate that children are being educated exclusively in Mandarin, leading to communication barriers with their parents. The United Nations, human rights advocates, and numerous media outlets have documented the detention of approximately one million Muslims in Xinjiang as part of a mass re-education campaign, with many mosques destroyed or repurposed. The government defends these actions as anti-terrorism measures, claiming the camps provide education and vocational training.

Strengthening “National Unity” and Combating “Separatism”

The law emphasizes the duty of all ethnic groups to “consciously safeguard national unity, national security and social stability.” It also aims to “suppress the expression of other, from the party’s perspective, competing identities,” according to the specialist portal NPC Observer. The legislation requires action against anyone who undermines “national unity” or provokes “separatism,” with definitions remaining deliberately vague. Protests occurred in Inner Mongolia in 2020 when authorities introduced Mandarin-language classes, but such demonstrations are now significantly more difficult to organize due to an expanded security apparatus.

Promoting a “Common Spiritual Home”

The law also focuses on “building a common spiritual home” through patriotic education, the teaching of official history, propaganda, and the promotion of “the image of the Chinese nation.” This aligns with a broader effort by the Beijing leadership to promote a narrative of a five-thousand-year-old Chinese history culminating in the current power of the Communist Party. State media describes the law as an “effective legal weapon” to “preserve national unity” and “combat ethnic separatism,” while also opposing “any attempts at infiltration” under the guise of ethnicity, religion, or human rights.

Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture

Yanji is the seat of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, a mountainous area on the North Korean-Chinese border where more than half of the inhabitants are of Korean ancestry. The city, with a population of approximately 686,136 (2020 census), is a key transport and trade hub between China and North Korea.