The renewal of Chinese language promotion system indicates intensification of suppression

China has revised the so-called "Xinjiang Autonomous Region State Common Language Level Test Management System," one of the legal covers for its genocide in East Turkistan. This revision of the management system indicates an intensification of suppression, assimilation, and language restriction policies in East Turkistan.

The so-called "Uyghur Autonomous Region" Education Department's website announced its explanation of the "State Common Language Level Test Management System" on February 12.

The website explained the background of the system's revision, noting that in 2021, the "Autonomous Region" Education Department had established the system based on the Ministry of Education's 2003 "State Common Language Level Test Management Regulations" (Order No. 16). In January 2022, the Ministry of Education revised these regulations (Order No. 51), invalidating the previous version, claiming the old management system no longer met new era requirements.

Among the revised content regarding management mechanisms and work responsibilities, it states that the State Council's Language Work Department will manage nationwide tests, while the "Autonomous Region" Education Department will manage regional tests and annually evaluate test centers. Implementation measures include online training, testing sites at various levels, and promotional activities.

This year's revised management system has strengthened requirements and implementation measures for Chinese language learning compared to the 2021 version. The first article of the 2021 system stated it was "established to standardize state common language level test management and promote the use of the state common language." However, this year's version states it is "established to further strengthen the management of state common language level testing and further standardize testing rules for state common language use in our region."

The new management system consists of 10 chapters and 77 articles, addressing the strengthening of Chinese language promotion and accountability measures for violators.

In recent years, China has strictly implemented policies such as "strengthening awareness of the Chinese nation's common identity," "cultural nourishment," and "promoting the state common language" under the guise of local legislation, signaling an intensification of genocide in East Turkistan. Through this newly announced regulation on Chinese language promotion, China has further tightened its policy of forcing the Chinese language on Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples.

Since its occupation, China has suppressed East Turkestan's people under various pretexts. In recent years, it has completely restricted their faith, culture, language, and traditions under various pretexts, imprisoning millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in concentration camps and prisons, carrying out genocide.

Observers emphasize that while China faces international pressure for its genocide in East Turkistan, it attempts to legitimize and expand its criminal acts through local regulations. They stress that this revised regulation signals the continuation of Sinicization and suppression in East Turkistan, once again demonstrating that the severe situation in East Turkestan remains unchanged.