The annual political gatherings in Beijing, known as the “Two Sessions,” concluded this year with explicit signals of a deepening clampdown on Tibetan identity, positioning Tibet as a testing ground for China’s broader policy of assimilating ethnic minorities into a singular Chinese identity.
The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) convened from March 4 to 10, followed closely by the National People’s Congress (NPC), held from March 5 to 11. Tibetan delegates, predictably lauding Chinese government policies, were portrayed in state media as celebrating “happiness, peace, harmony, and unity” in Tibet—claims starkly at odds with independent reports of severe human rights violations.
Zhang Guoqing, Vice Premier and Politburo member responsible for Tibet, outlined priorities emphasizing stability, development, ecology, and border security. He reiterated intentions to embed Chinese modernization practices firmly within Tibetan society. Similarly, Sun Yeli, Minister of Culture and Tourism, underscored the drive toward economic investment to “open” Tibet, emphasizing infrastructure development and business reforms designed to integrate Tibet more thoroughly into China’s economic orbit.
The newly appointed Chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), Karma Tseten, explicitly referenced international criticism of China’s contentious boarding school policies as “smear campaigns” orchestrated by the “Dalai Clique.” This politically loaded term, though inaccurately linking Tibetan international advocacy to the Dalai Lama, serves as a tool to dismiss legitimate concerns over human rights.
Strikingly absent from public view was the CCP-selected Panchen Lama, despite his senior positions within state religious bodies. The carefully curated state presence of the Panchen Lama, particularly limited this year, underscores ongoing sensitivities regarding his legitimacy among Tibetans.
Wang Junzheng, the highest-ranking CCP official in TAR, echoed Party directives to enforce a “socialist modern new Tibet,” reinforcing Xi Jinping’s drive for a unified Chinese identity. This vision was amplified by legislative efforts announced by NPC Chairman Zhao Leji and CPPCC Chairman Wang Hunning. A proposed national law on “ethnic unity” aims explicitly to solidify Chinese national identity at the expense of distinct ethnic traditions and identities.
This legislation, reflecting policies first trialed in Tibet in 2020, represents a significant legal and ideological shift. It challenges previous autonomy protections and marks the next stage in Xi Jinping’s assimilation strategy, leveraging education, legislation, and infrastructure to integrate ethnic minorities fully.
International observers, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and EU officials, have previously condemned China’s ethnic unity laws in Tibet as gross violations of human rights. The application of these laws nationally suggests an intensified phase of cultural assimilation that could irrevocably erode Tibetan cultural and social rights.
Underneath the veneer of democratic governance portrayed by the Two Sessions, CCP leadership uniformly reinforced Xi Jinping’s centralized authority, foreshadowing potential amendments to the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy. Such revisions would decisively dismantle the limited protections Tibetans currently hold, leaving little recourse to resist China’s accelerating assimilation agenda.
As these political signals from Beijing indicate, Tibet stands at the frontline of a broader CCP project designed not only to erase distinctive ethnic identities but to reshape minority communities across China into an undifferentiated national identity—one that echoes only the voice of the Party.
Source: ITC
