Dharamshala: In a bipartisan letter addressed to the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., Xie Feng, Senators Lindsey O. Graham (Republican) and Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat) expressed grave concern over the People’s Republic of China’s newly enacted Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, warning that the legislation threatens the distinct identities, religious freedoms, and fundamental rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other ethnic minorities.

The senators noted that they join the European Parliament in condemning the law, which is scheduled to enter into force on 1 July, and urged the Chinese government to rescind or substantially revise the legislation. They stated that they would closely monitor the Chinese Communist Party’s implementation of the law, particularly its impact on ethnic minorities and individuals residing outside China.

A key concern highlighted in the letter is Article 63 of the law, which claims legal jurisdiction over organisations and individuals outside China accused of undermining “ethnic unity and progress.” The senators warned that any attempt by Chinese authorities to surveil, intimidate, or pressure individuals residing in the United States under this provision would constitute an unacceptable violation of U.S. sovereignty.

The letter also condemned the Chinese government’s longstanding policies restricting religious freedom under the pretext of combating extremism and separatism. The senators said these practices—including restrictions on worship, forced ideological education, and pressure on communities to abandon or weaken their religious traditions—have affected Tibetan Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, and other faith communities.

Expressing particular concern over the rights of Tibetan children, the senators drew attention to China’s state-run boarding school system, which has separated more than one million Tibetan children from their families, language, and cultural heritage. They stated that the implementation of the new law would be evaluated against international standards for the protection of children’s rights.

“The Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress is detrimental to and attempts to eliminate the unique identities of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and others,” the senators wrote. They further observed that the legislation appears inconsistent with China’s own Constitution, the 1984 Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law, and China’s international human rights commitments.

The senators affirmed that they would continue to speak out against violations of religious freedom, children’s rights, and the rights of individuals living on U.S. soil. They also stated that the U.S. Congress is actively working to establish reporting requirements on the implementation of the law and pledged to pursue additional legislative measures, if necessary, to hold the Chinese government accountable for actions taken under its provisions.

The bipartisan letter underscores growing international concern over China’s assimilation policies in Tibet and other occupied regions, particularly as Beijing continues to strengthen legal mechanisms aimed at enforcing ideological conformity and eroding the distinct identities of non-Han nationalities.