Xi’s war on the Uyghurs: The battle for identity in China’s far West

Generative image China’s latest ethnic unity law has brought renewed attention to the Uyghur question. The legislation, adopted by Beijing and due to take effect next year, seeks to strengthen what authorities call a “shared sense of the Chinese nation” among the country’s 55 officially recognised ethnic minorities. It expands the emphasis on Mandarin-language education from the preschool level, promotes deeper integration between ethnic groups and reinforces a long-standing state push towards cultural assimilation. Critics say the law formalises policies that have increasingly eroded Uyghur linguistic, religious and cultural distinctiveness in Xinjiang, reviving international scrutiny of a campaign that has…