China has urged the United States and the European Union to stop what it described as hyping the so-called ethnic issue and to refrain from interfering in its internal affairs, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday.
The remarks came after media reports said the United States and the EU had expressed so-called concern over China’s Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, which came into effect on Wednesday.
Speaking at a regular press briefing, Guo said the relevant countries had adopted a biased stance and “maliciously” smeared China’s ethnic policies by creating and spreading disinformation. He accused them of interfering in China’s internal affairs and undermining ethnic unity, adding, “China firmly opposes this.”
Guo said China is a multi-ethnic country where all ethnic groups are equal and united, noting that strengthening the rule of law helps protect the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic communities while promoting ethnic unity.
He also said the Chinese government places great importance on preserving the cultures of ethnic minorities and legally safeguards the rights of all ethnic groups to use and develop their own spoken and written languages. According to Guo, China’s efforts and achievements in this field have been widely recognized by the international community.
Guo further said that certain countries, influenced by ideological bias and political motives, ignore China’s progress in socioeconomic development and human rights protection. Instead, he said, they take issues out of context, “maliciously slander China’s ethnic policies, and fabricate and spread misinformation” in an attempt to interfere in China’s internal affairs and undermine ethnic unity.
