Brussels, 23 April: Following the passage of China’s law on “ethnic unity” on 12 March 2026, the Office of Tibet Brussels engaged in an intensive advocacy to alert lawmakers and governments to the law’s far-reaching implications, including its unprecedented transnational reach. Rigzin Genkhang, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration, joined by EU Advocacy Officer Tenzin Phuntsok at the Office of Tibet Brussels have held a series of briefings in Brussels to challenge “legalised erasure” of Tibetan civilisation.
A significant focus of these briefings has been the law’s mandate to prioritise Mandarin Chinese in all spheres of education and public life. This move is viewed as a final blow to the linguistic diversity, effectively marginalising the already marginalised Tibetan language by criminalising private and cultural instruction under the guise of “national unity”.
Another area of focus has been the extraterritorial reach of the law which targets communities and individuals abroad who “undermine ethnic unity”. This is a direct tool for transnational repression, providing legal basis for the CCP to target Tibetans activists, researchers and community members seeking to silence dissent and intimidate those who advocate for Tibet from abroad.
The consistent nature of this advocacy has already yielded significant results. Notably, engagement with the European Parliament has proven highly effective, with the insights shared by the Tibetan delegation set to be translated into formal action in the coming days.
As the law’s 1 July 2026, implementation date nears, the Office of Tibet Brussels will continue to urge Parliaments and governments to take concrete actions reflecting the gravity of the situation.
