China has approved a sweeping new law which claims to help promote “ethnic unity” - but critics say it will further erode the rights of minority groups.

On paper, it aims to promote integration among the 56 officially recognised ethnic groups, dominated by the Han Chinese, through education and housing. But critics say it cuts people off from their language and culture.

It mandates that all children should be taught Mandarin before kindergarten and up until the end of high school. Previously students could study most of the curriculum in their native language such as Tibetan, Uyghur or Mongolian.

  • Croquette@sh.itjust.works
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    6 小时前

    Genuine question : why do requiring a earnest effort to learn the language of the country a bad thing?

    There is a shit ton of bad things about our immigration laws, but forcing immigrants to learn the local language isn’t one of them.

    Language barriers isolate people and learning the local language helps reduce the isolation, benefiting everyone.

    • GreenBeard@lemmy.ca
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      3 小时前

      They didn’t move there. They were conquered. That’s called cultural genocide.

      • Croquette@sh.itjust.works
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        2 小时前

        The post I am replying to is specifying Canada, US and Australia. Not China.

        I agree that assimilating vs integration is a different thing.