China’s Plan to Replace Mongolian-Language Teaching Sparks Protests

China’s Plan to Replace Mongolian-Language Teaching Sparks Protests
Mongolians protest at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, against China's plan to introduce Mandarin-only classes at schools in the neighboring Chinese region of Inner Mongolia on Aug. 31, 2020. Byambasuren Byamba-Ochir/AFP via Getty Images
Eva Fu
Updated:

Protests erupted across China’s Inner Mongolia region with thousands of ethnic Mongols angry over the Chinese regime’s new policy to require classes in primary and secondary schools be taught in Mandarin—the official dialect and language spoken by the majority Han ethnicity—and eventually phase out Mongolian as the language of instruction.

Such scenes unfolded in recent days: Dozens of students in blue-and-white uniforms broke through police barricades to boycott school as their parents cheered from the other side. Teachers went on strike, ignoring threats of losing their contract. Artists put on traditional clothing and played traditional instruments on the streets, singing songs in their native tongue. Hundreds signed a petition calling for the policy to be scrapped.

Eva Fu
Eva Fu
Reporter
Eva Fu is an award-winning, New York-based journalist for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. politics, U.S.-China relations, religious freedom, and human rights. Contact Eva at [email protected]
twitter
Related Topics