China Rejects Criticism from US and EU Regarding New Ethnic Unity Law, Calling it 'Malicious Smear'

The Chinese government responded sharply to criticism from the United States and the European Union regarding the new ethnic unity law, which came into effect on 1 July and sparked debate in the international public opinion. The Beijing administration characterized these criticisms by Western powers as a 'malicious smear', rejecting this approach, which it views as an attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs from the outside. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun, in his statement, accused the criticisms of being based on non-objective political prejudices and charged foreign governments with spreading disinformation aimed at damaging China's international image. Guo argued that China has made significant progress in economic development and human rights protection, calling on relevant countries to abandon false claims and respect China's sovereignty.

The said law was designed as part of a strategy to strengthen a common national identity, encompassing China's 55 official ethnic minority groups, particularly Tibetans and Uyghurs. While the Beijing administration defines the law as a necessary measure to safeguard national unity and guarantee the rights of all ethnic communities, critics are concerned that the law could be used as a tool extending beyond China's borders to suppress dissenting voices. The law grants the authority to take legal action against individuals and organizations accused of 'promoting ethnic separatism' or 'undermining ethnic unity and progress,' including those outside China's borders. This situation raises concerns that the law could have implications not just locally but on a global scale, initiating a new debate on international law boundaries and sovereign rights.

The ethnic unity law has also caused significant concern and alarm in Taiwan. There is a fear that Beijing, which views Taiwan as a part of China and claims the island as its own territory, could use this law as a new legal instrument to target those supporting Taiwanese independence. Minister of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council Chiu Chui-cheng likened the law to an 'imperial edict', emphasizing that it is a serious threat that Taiwanese must closely monitor due to the law's global jurisdiction. Minister Chiu warned that Taiwanese citizens should be cautious when traveling to countries with close diplomatic ties to China, such as Belarus and Cambodia.

Taiwanese officials and the government have clarified their stance by vehemently rejecting Beijing's sovereignty claims over the island, stating that Chinese laws have no legal authority on the island. On the other hand, although China's Taiwan Affairs Office attempted to make a reassuring statement saying that ordinary Taiwanese travelers need not worry, it did not dispel the suspicions caused by the ambiguity in the law. The Beijing administration warned that anyone supporting separatist activities aimed at splitting China's unity would be subject to this new law and face legal consequences. This situation carries the risk of turning into a political and diplomatic crisis in Taiwan, while also creating uncertainties regarding travel freedom and freedom of expression for Taiwanese people.

This development clearly reveals the ongoing and deepening tensions between China and Western governments over human rights, national security, and the increasing global reach of Chinese laws. Experts and analysts have sparked a serious debate regarding how much China's legal authority against individuals in other countries could expand in the international arena following the law's entry into force, and what reflections this might have on international relations. China's effort to impose its own laws internationally is condemned by powerful actors such as the US and the European Union as 'long-arm' jurisdiction, while Beijing's resistant stance and objections are sharpening the diplomatic front further. The reactions this legal regulation brought by China to protect its ethnic unity will receive from the international public, especially regarding the rights of ethnic minorities and the Taiwan issue, will be one of the most important items on the global agenda in the coming months. How China implements this law and the responses Western countries will give will play a critical role in determining the course of China-US and China-EU relations.