China's new ethnic unity law makes Mandarin compulsory for minority students, critics warn

China approved a sweeping 'ethnic unity' law that requires Mandarin instruction for all children from kindergarten through high school, tightening language use and prompting fears it will erode minority languages and cultures despite Beijing's claim it promotes jobs and modernization. Critics say the policy accelerates assimilation, could restrict cultural rights, and may lead to penalties for parents who instill views deemed not harmonious with ethnic unity; the law, part of Xi Jinping's wider sinicisation push, was passed at the National People's Congress.