New legislation will require schools to use Mandarin by default, taking priority over minority ethnic languages such as Tibetan, Uyghur and Mongolian
China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), the state legislature, will vote on Thursday on a suite of new laws agreed at this year’s annual two sessions gathering, including a piece of legislation that will diminish the role of minority ethnic languages in the education system.
NPC delegates are expected to approve a new ethnic unity law, along with a new environmental code and the 15th five-year plan, the economic planning document for 2026-2030. Delegates have spent the last week debating Beijing’s proposed bills, which they are all but certain to approve. The NPC, which is often described as a rubber-stamp parliament, has never rejected an item on its agenda.
The votes will take place at this year’s two sessions, concurrent meetings of the NPC and a separate Communist party advisory body, draws to a close. The main headline from this year’s gathering was the historically low 2026 GDP growth target, which China’s premier, Li Qiang, announced on 5 March. At 4.5%, it is the lowest growth target in decades, and reflects Beijing’s shifting priorities and challenging domestic economic situation.
