China officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups. While Han Chinese make up more than 90 percent of the country's population, many minority communities have historically maintained varying degrees of autonomy in education, including the use of native languages in schools and cultural instruction.
The Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress, which entered effect Wednesday, elevates Mandarin as the primary language of education and public life and is part of President Xi Jinping's broader push to "Sinicize" ethnic minorities in pursuit of a Chinese national identity.