According to the US Department of State, visa restrictions apply to Chinese government officials who are involved in the compulsory assimilation of Tibetan children within state-operated boarding schools.
“Beijing’s Revised Education Policy Raises Concerns for Ethnic Minority Children”
Chinese government officials participating in the forcible assimilation of Tibetan children in state-run boarding schools are subject to visa restrictions, according to the US Department of State. The Biden administration’s broader approach to addressing China’s treatment of ethnic minorities, with a focus on Tibet and Xinjiang in particular, includes this step.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed worry over coercive tactics that, particularly among younger Tibetans, erode Tibet’s distinctive language, culture, and religious traditions. He urged Chinese authorities to stop forcing Tibetan youngsters to attend boarding schools under their authority and to stop using severe assimilation practices in Tibet and other Chinese regions. The US is dedicated to cooperating with friends and partners internationally to promote accountability and increase public knowledge of these practices.
The National Program for Child Development (2021-2030) marked a substantial change in Beijing’s strategy for educating children from minority groups. The sentence that stressed ethnic minority children’s rights to receive an education in their native language was removed from the revised policy document, which now places more emphasis on fostering the widespread national tongue. This modification portends a shift in favor of more centralized Mandarin language training for kids from ethnic minorities.
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“Bridging the Divide: High-Level Talks Aim to Ease Tensions between US and China”
There are 56 recognized ethnic groups in China, the majority of whom are Han Chinese. Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, disagreed with the US penalties, pointing to Tibet’s vast environment and dispersed population as justifications for the region’s boarding schools. In contrast to claims of forced assimilation, he noted that students are allowed to travel back home on weekends, on official holidays, and during traditional Tibetan festivals.
While all was going on, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo was getting ready to travel to Beijing and Shanghai to meet with top Chinese officials and US business figures. These discussions seek to resolve the ongoing hostilities between the two nations and discover points of agreement on a range of topics.