Former Hungarian MP Ferenc József Gelencsér Condemns China’s New Ethnic Unity Law, Warns of Forced Assimilation
Ferenc József Gelencsér, Hungarian politician, Former member of Parliament, and leader of the Momentum Movement, has expressed deep concern over China’s newly adopted law promoting “unity and progress” among ethnic groups, warning that its true purpose is not inclusion but the institutionalisation of forced assimilation.
“Today, China has introduced a new law promoting ‘unity and progress’ among ethnic groups. On paper, the language of this law may sound harmless. Unity, progress, and harmony between peoples are values that no one would normally reject. However, we must look beyond the language and examine the political reality,” Gelencsér stated.
He argued that the legislation is “not a law about genuine equality among peoples” but rather “a law that gives legal form to forced assimilation.” According to Gelencsér, for Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, and other non-Han peoples living under the rule of the People’s Republic of China, language, religion, history, education, and culture are the foundations of their survival. “When a state uses the language of unity to weaken these foundations, it is not protecting diversity—it is replacing diversity with uniformity,” he said.
Gelencsér noted that the law places the concept of a single Chinese national identity at the centre of ethnic policy. In practice, he warned, this means that Tibetan, Uyghur, Mongolian, and other ethnic identities are tolerated only to the extent that they are subordinated to a state-defined national identity shaped by the Chinese Communist Party.
He highlighted particular concerns over education and language policy, arguing that the promotion of Mandarin Chinese at the expense of minority languages is not a neutral administrative measure. “When children are gradually separated from their mother tongue, they are also separated from their history, their culture, and their community,” he said.
Turning to Tibet, Gelencsér emphasised that Tibetan identity cannot be separated from Tibetan Buddhism, monasteries, the spiritual authority of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the continuity of Tibetan cultural memory. “Any attempt by the Chinese state to control, redefine, or subordinate these traditions is not merely cultural policy—it is political control,” he stated.
Gelencsér also raised concerns about the potential extraterritorial implications of the new legislation, warning that Beijing increasingly claims the authority to act against individuals and organisations outside China if they are accused of undermining ethnic unity or promoting separatism. He said this sends “a clear message to diaspora communities: even outside China’s borders, speaking up for Tibetan, Uyghur, or Mongolian identity may be treated as a threat.”
According to Gelencsér, the legislation reflects a broader authoritarian strategy. “First redefine identity, then criminalise dissent, and finally silence communities both at home and abroad,” he said.
He stressed that unity cannot be achieved by erasing differences, nor can stability be built by forcing people to abandon their language, religion, and culture. “Progress cannot be built on fear,” he added.
Calling on the international community to respond, Gelencsér said the law should be recognised for what it is: “a tool of forced assimilation that threatens the cultural survival of Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, and all communities whose identities are being pushed into silence.”
He further emphasised that “cultural survival is not separatism. Speaking one’s mother tongue is not extremism. Practicing one’s religion is not a threat to national security. Defending human rights is not interference in China’s territorial integrity—it is a universal moral and legal obligation.”
“If China truly believes this law is only about unity, then it should have no reason to fear independent Tibetan culture, Uyghur language education, Mongolians preserving their heritage, or Buddhists practicing their religion freely,” Gelencsér concluded.
Echoing these concerns, Representative Thinlay Chukki emphasised that the preservation of Tibetan identity, language, religion, and culture is inseparable from the protection of fundamental human rights. She called on democratic governments and international institutions to remain vigilant against policies of forced assimilation and to stand in solidarity with Tibetans and all communities whose cultural heritage and freedoms are under increasing pressure.
