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resolution motion, 27 April 2026

On new Chinese law on ‘ethnic unity and progress’ and the intensified suppression of ethnic identities

Motion B-10-2026-0223 · (2026/2703(RSP))

on behalf of the Renew Group · Rapporteur: Dainius Žalimas, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, MarieAgnes StrackZimmermann, Svenja Hahn, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Martin Hojsík, JanChristoph Oetjen, Ľubica Karvašová, Malik Azmani, Lucia Yar, Nathalie Loiseau, Dan Barna, Helmut Brandstätter, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Petras Auštrevičius, Hilde Vautmans, Anna Stürgkh, Engin Eroglu, Karin Karlsbro

On Parliament’s site PDF Word

AI:In short

Parliament condemns China's new Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress, which it says promotes assimilation and restricts cultural, religious and linguistic freedoms. It urges China to repeal the law and calls on the Council to use the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against responsible officials. It urges EU member states to suspend extradition treaties with China, condemns persecution of Tibetan leaders, calls for release of political prisoners, and asks the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to report on the law.

Key points

  1. Strongly condemns repressive assimilation policies throughout China and their violations of universal human rights, including in Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia.
  2. Expresses grave concern over the Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress, urges China to repeal it and cease all discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities.
  3. Calls on the Council to use the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against officials and entities responsible for drafting and implementing the law.
  4. Urges all EU member states to suspend extradition treaties with China to protect persecuted individuals residing in the EU from transnational repression.
  5. Condemns persecution of Tibetan religious and cultural leaders, including assimilation of children in state-run residential schools, and opposes interference in selection of Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leaders.
  6. Calls for immediate release of all political prisoners, including Ilham Tohti, the 11th Panchen Lama, and Mongolian activist Hada.
  7. Calls for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to issue an updated situational report addressing the 2026 law.
  8. Considers that the law leads to oppression of minorities and undermining of human rights, with severe consequences for EU-China relations.

Who is affected

  • Ethnic minorities in China, including Tibetans, Hui, Uyghurs, Manchus and Mongolians, face intensified repression and assimilation.
  • Individuals abroad deemed to undermine 'ethnic unity' may be prosecuted under the law, posing risks to those in the EU.
  • Tibetan Buddhist religious practices and leadership selection are subject to increased regulation and interference.

Figures and deadlines

  • 12 March 2026: date the law was adopted by China's National People's Congress.

Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem

Full text

Text 22 paragraphs

B100223/2026

European Parliament resolution on new Chinese law on ‘ethnic unity and progress’ and the intensified suppression of ethnic identities

(2026/2703(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on the human rights cases in China;

– having regards to China’s law on “Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress;

– having regard to Rules 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas, under customary international law, states are required to protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories and to promote conditions for the preservation and development of that identity;

whereas on 12 March 2026, China’s National People’s Congress adopted the Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress, which provided a legal basis for intensified, institutionalized repression and assimilation against ethnic minority identities, including Tibetans, Hui, Uyghurs, Manchus and Mongolians;

whereas the law gives binding legal effect to the policy priorities of China including the prioritisation of Mandarin in education, public life and media;

whereas the law mandates the integration of state ideology therefore Tibetan Buddhism, faces heightened regulation, with religious practices increasingly subject to political reinterpretation and restriction;

whereas the law allows for the prosecution of individuals abroad deemed to undermine “ethnic unity”, thereby posing a direct challenge to the protection for cultural and linguistic right;

Read the rest (10 paragraphs)

whereas respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law should be at the centre of the EU’s relations with China;

Strongly condemns the repressive assimilation policies throughout China and their violations of universal human rights, including in Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia;

Expresses grave concern over the adopted Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress, which openly promotes assimilation policies and restricts the cultural, religious and linguistic freedoms of various groups within China and beyond; urges China to repeal this law and uphold its obligations under international law to cease all discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities;

Calls on the Council to use the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against officials and entities responsible for drafting and implementing this law;

Urges all EU Member States to suspend extradition treaties with China to protect persecuted individuals residing in the EU from risks of transnational repression under this law;

Strongly condemns the continued persecution of Tibetan religious and cultural leaders, including the cultural and linguistic assimilation of children in state-run residential schools; firmly opposes any attempt by China to interfere in the selection of Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leaders, including the Dalai Lama;

Calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Sakharov Price Laureate Ilham Tohti, the 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, and Mongolian activist Hada;

Calls for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to issue an updated situational report, specifically addressing the 2026 law;

Considers that this law leads to the oppression of minorities undermining of human rights, bringing severe consequences for EU-China relations;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to its institutions and Member States , China’s government, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Central Tibetan Administration.