International

EDITORIAL: Nowhere to hide

An article published in the Dec. 12, 1949, edition of the Central Daily News (中央日報) bore a headline with the intimidating phrase: “You Cannot Escape.” The article was about the execution of seven “com...

Rights groups blast the harassment of Tibetan supporters

Human rights groups yesterday condemned the harassment of people who rallied to support the religious freedom of Tibetans, saying that it was typical transnational repression by China, not a mere dist...

Legislative unity, erasing difference

China’s latest draft law on “promoting ethnic unity and progress” is presented as a benign effort to improve cohesion among its 56 recognized ethnic groups. In reality, it codifies assimilationist pol...

Trump says he believes Putin may be helping Iran in war against US and Israel

Speaking in a radio interview with Fox News, Trump said, “I think he might be helping them a bit, yeah.”

China’s new 'Ethnic Unity' law seen as cover for deeper repression in Tibet, Xinjiang

The Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, signed into law by Chinese President Xi Jinping, will come into effect July 1, 2026. It will allow the communist government to legally pursue sinicisation, the systemic process of aligning religious beliefs,...

The Battle of Strasbourg: China Tries Unsuccessfully to Stop a Taiwanese Theater Production

This time, Beijing lost. But in other cases, including Shen Yun’s, theaters surrendered to Chinese pressure. The post The Battle of Strasbourg: China Tries Unsuccessfully to Stop a Taiwanese Theater Production first appeared on Bitter Winter.

China passes ethnic minority law, which prioritizes Mandarin

China yesterday passed a law on a “shared” national identity among the country’s 55 ethnic minority groups, a move critics say would further erode the identity of people who are not majority Han Chine...

Beijing Is Legalizing the Assimilation of Tibetans and Other Ethnic Minorities

China is amending its laws to weaken ethnic identities, including Tibetan language and culture. 

‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’ is actually not just about death

Rooted in the Buddhist teaching of the bardo − states of ‘in-between’ − the text offers a way to understand death, life and transformation as deeply intertwined.

China approves 'ethnic unity' law requiring minorities to learn Mandarin

The law states that children should be taught Mandarin before kindergarten, until the end of high school.

China to approve ‘ethnic unity’ law denounced by rights groups

China was set to approve Thursday what it called an “ethnic unity” law, which rights advocates warn could further marginalise minority groups like the Uyghurs. The draft law, set to be passed by the National People’s Congress, would formalise...

It takes a village – the pioneering tourism project breathing new life into India’s mountain communities

Over the past 21 years, Village Ways has been leading low-impact tours of remote communities in the foothills of the Himalayas, supporting traditional ways of life and offering a rare glimpse of pristine landscapes and wildlifeKathdhara village is a...

Statement on the Passage of China’s “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress”

Contact: Lhadon Tethong  I  lhadon@tibetaction.net  I  +1 917 418 4181 Statement on the Passage of China’s “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” Boston – Today the Chinese government’s rubber-stamp parliament approved the new “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress,”...

China is expected to push for an ethnic unity law that critics say will cement assimilation

China is expected to approve a sweeping “ethnic unity” law that critics say tightens assimilation and weakens minority rights

China’s rubber-stamp parliament set to approve ‘ethnic unity’ law

New legislation will require schools to use Mandarin by default, taking priority over minority ethnic languages such as Tibetan, Uyghur and MongolianChina’s National People’s Congress (NPC), the state legislature, will vote on Thursday on a suite of new laws...

Tibetans protest worldwide as China tightens grip on Tibetan identity

Sixty-seven years after the 1959 Tibetan Uprising, Tibetans across the world continue to march, protest and speak out to keep their cause alive. But activists and rights advocates warn that global awareness of conditions inside Tibet remains limited, even...

How China plans for greater power projection in Xinjiang and Tibet over the next 5 years

China plans to further strengthen its strategic transport network in sensitive border regions over the next five years to fortify and better project power along its remote frontiers amid rising geopolitical uncertainty. One project involves building a 394km (245-mile)...

Why is China set to approve a new law promoting 'ethnic unity'?

A law that could threaten the rights of minority groups is a sign of the direction Xi is taking China.

Minds are not so easily colonized

Today, Tibetans around the world mark the anniversary of the 1959 uprising in Lhasa — a day when ordinary men and women rose up against overwhelming force to defend their dignity, culture and faith. S...

Alaska’s glacial lakes are expanding, increasing the risk of destructive outburst floods

Scientists mapped the evolution of 140 glacial lakes in Alaska and found a way to tell how much larger and destructive they can get as their glaciers melt.

Don’t Forget Tibet on Anniversary of 1959 Lhasa Uprising

Click to expand Image Exiled Tibetan artists observe a minute's silence as they mark the 66th anniversary of an uprising in Tibetan capital Lhasa, at the Tsuglakhang temple in Dharamshala, India, March 10, 2025. © 2025 Ashwini Bhatia/AP Photo...

10 of the best affordable family adventures in Europe

From packrafting in Luxembourg to cycling in Slovenia and eclipse-spotting in Spain, here are some great ways to get the kids into the wildSeveral companies offer affordable multi-activity trips for families in Greece, but if you’re looking for something...

Four-year-old clumber spaniel called Bruin wins best in show at Crufts

Owner Lee Cox describes the winner as ‘dog of a lifetime’ as he claims the crown at prestigious dog contest Bruin, a clumber spaniel, has won the best in show prize at Crufts, which took place at the National...

Tibetans march against repression by Beijing

Tibetans yesterday marched in Taipei alongside human rights advocates to protest China’s transnational repression and its crack down on the spirituality of Tibetans.The march marked the...

Ex-envoy urges US to stand by promises

US President Donald Trump should stand by Washington’s commitment to provide defensive weapons to Taiwan, former US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said on Friday at a conference at George Washingt...