China erasing Tibetan identity with new assimilation law, says ICT chief
Synopsis
China's new Ethnic Unity and Progress Law — in force since 1 July — has given Beijing's decades-long assimilation drive a formal legal shield, the ICT's executive director warned in Washington. The law, critics say, contradicts China's own constitution and its international human rights obligations, and the ICT is now pushing governments, the UN, and interfaith leaders to act before Tibetan identity is further dismantled.
Key Takeaways
Ryan Fioresi , executive director of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) , warned on 10 July that China is escalating human rights abuses in Tibet .
China's Ethnic Unity and Progress Law came into force on 1 July , codifying forced assimilation policies into domestic law.
The ICT argues the law contravenes China's own constitution and its international human rights commitments.
Fioresi called on the US and all governments to press Beijing to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives.
The remarks were made at a Washington event marking the Dalai Lama's 91st birthday , attended by US officials, diplomats, and civil society leaders.
The Dalai Lama has lived in Dharamshala, India since fleeing Tibet in 1959 and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 .
China is intensifying human rights abuses in Tibet and using a sweeping new legislation to give its forced assimilation policies formal legal standing, according to Ryan Fioresi, executive director of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT). Speaking in Washington on 10 July, Fioresi described conditions inside Tibet as 'quite grim' and called on governments worldwide to press Beijing to resume negotiations with the Dalai Lama or his representatives.
The New Law and What It Does
At the centre of the ICT's alarm is China's Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, which came into force on 1 July. Fioresi said the legislation codifies Beijing's forced assimilation agenda into domestic law, effectively placing state policy on a legal footing that critics argue is designed to erode Tibet's distinct cultural and religious identity.
'The Chinese government just implemented on July 1st the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, which codifies many of Beijing's forced assimilation policies into Chinese law,' Fioresi said. He further argued that 'many of the stipulations in the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law contravene China's own constitution and its international human rights commitments.'
ICT's Global Appeal
The International Campaign for Tibet has mounted a coordinated push to draw international attention to the legislation, appealing to governments, the United Nations, and interfaith leaders to publicly condemn it. 'We called on governments, the United Nations, interfaith leaders to speak out on this law, to shine a light on what China is doing to erase Tibetan identity and to urge Beijing to change these policies,' Fioresi said.
The remarks came on the sidelines of a Washington event marking the Dalai Lama's 91st birthday, attended by US government officials, diplomats, Tibetan community members, civil society representatives, and journalists.
Call for Renewed Diplomatic Pressure
Fioresi urged the United States — which has backed the Tibetan movement across administrations of both major political parties — to lead a broader international push. He called for dialogue between Chinese authorities and Tibetan representatives to address what he described as the Tibetan people's 'longstanding grievances' and to secure 'their meaningful autonomy and their basic rights.'
'We're calling for the US government, but all governments, to urge China to reengage in dialogue with His Holiness or his representatives to push for a negotiated solution on Tibet,' he said. The United States has maintained a dedicated Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues under the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002, tasked with promoting such dialogue.
Background: The Dalai Lama and Tibet's Long Struggle
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India in 1959 following China's military consolidation of the region and has since been based in Dharamshala. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his consistent advocacy of a non-violent resolution to the Tibetan issue. Fioresi described the Dalai Lama's message of compassion and non-violence as 'an antidote to so many challenges that so many different nations, communities, peoples face around the world' — a framing he said carries particular weight amid ongoing global conflicts.
As Beijing shows no sign of softening its Tibet policies, the ICT and allied advocacy groups are expected to intensify pressure on multilateral bodies and democratic governments ahead of upcoming UN human rights review cycles.
Point of View
And that distinction matters. By embedding assimilation directives into statute, Beijing makes them structurally harder to reverse and legally insulated from internal challenge. The ICT's appeal to the UN and interfaith leaders signals that traditional bilateral diplomacy has largely failed on Tibet; the strategy is now to raise the reputational cost across multiple arenas simultaneously. What mainstream coverage often misses is that the law arrives as the Dalai Lama turns 91 — making the question of succession, and who controls the next reincarnation, a live geopolitical flashpoint that no amount of birthday diplomacy can defer indefinitely.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is China's Ethnic Unity and Progress Law?
It is a Chinese law that came into force on 1 July 2025, which, according to the International Campaign for Tibet, codifies Beijing's forced assimilation policies — particularly those targeting Tibet — into domestic legislation. Critics argue it contravenes China's own constitution and its international human rights commitments.
Who is Ryan Fioresi and what did he say?
Ryan Fioresi is the executive director of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), a leading Tibet advocacy organisation. Speaking in Washington on 10 July, he described conditions inside Tibet as 'quite grim', warned that human rights abuses are escalating, and urged governments worldwide to press China to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives.
Why is the ICT calling for international pressure on China over Tibet?
The ICT says China's new Ethnic Unity and Progress Law gives legal cover to policies designed to erode Tibet's distinct cultural and religious identity. The organisation argues that without sustained pressure from governments, the UN, and interfaith leaders, Beijing has little incentive to change course or return to dialogue with Tibetan representatives.
What is the US role in the Tibet issue?
The United States has maintained a Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues under the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002, a role that coordinates US policy on Tibet and promotes dialogue between Chinese authorities and Tibetan representatives. Fioresi noted that Washington has supported the Tibetan movement across administrations of both major political parties.
Where does the Dalai Lama live and what is his significance?
The Dalai Lama has lived in Dharamshala, India since fleeing Tibet in 1959 following China's military consolidation of the region. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his consistent advocacy of a non-violent resolution to the Tibetan issue, and turned 91 around the time of the Washington event where Fioresi spoke.
