China Blasts US and EU Over Ethnic Unity Law, Denounces 'Vicious Slander'

China has issued a strong response to criticism from the United States and the European Union over a new law on ethnic unity that came into effect this week. Beijing considers the West’s accusations as ‘vicious slander’ and a form of interference in its internal affairs. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stressed that the law is intended to strengthen legal protections for all ethnic groups in the country. ‘Strengthening the rule of law is beneficial for better protecting the rights and interests of all ethnic groups and enhancing ethnic unity,’ Guo said on Friday. Guo also took a swipe at the US and the EU, accusing them of politicising China’s ethnic issues. He argued that certain countries ignore China’s economic and social development, as well as its achievements in human rights governance. ‘They maliciously smear China’s ethnic policies by falsifying information, interfering in China’s internal affairs, and undermining China’s ethnic unity,’ he stated, urging the relevant parties to stop spreading ‘lies’ and exaggerating ethnic issues. The law, which took effect on Wednesday, was passed by Beijing in March. It is designed to build a shared national identity among China’s 55 ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs, who have long been a focus of international human rights concerns. However, one provision in the regulation has drawn attention because it provides a legal basis for Beijing to hold individuals or groups outside China accountable if they are deemed to undermine ethnic unity or incite separatism. The new rules have also sparked concern in Taiwan. The government in Taipei believes the regulation could serve as an additional legal foundation for Beijing to pursue Taiwanese citizens accused of supporting the island’s independence. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council head, Chiu Chui-cheng, said the law’s scope is almost limitless. ‘It is almost like an imperial decree. Its jurisdiction seems to reach everywhere, as if the whole world must comply,’ Chiu told a radio station in Taiwan. Chiu also warned Taiwanese citizens to be cautious when travelling to countries with close ties to Beijing, such as Belarus and Cambodia, citing a risk of extradition to China if they are deemed to have violated the law. Meanwhile, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, sought to allay fears by stating that Taiwanese citizens visiting China ‘do not need to worry’. Nevertheless, she stressed that pro-independence groups in Taiwan who engage in acts of national division and undermine ethnic unity will be dealt with according to the law. ‘They will certainly be punished in accordance with the law,’ Zhu asserted.