Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed zero tolerance for anything that could undermine ethnic harmony in the world’s No. 2 economy, a sign he’s sticking to assimilation policies that have led to unrest and allegations of human rights abuses.
"Only when all ethnic groups live in unity and harmony can there be a prosperous country, a stable society and a happy people,” the 68-year-old leader told a delegation from Inner Mongolia, which in the past has seen protests over policies for languages used in schooling.
"Without ethnic unity and harmony, the country would decline, society would be destabilized and the people would suffer,” Xi said on Saturday, according to a summary of the National People’s Congress event provided by the official Xinhua News Agency.