Students read a text in Putonghua at the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language Primary School in Qianjin township, Wushi county, Aksu prefecture of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in 2019. Photo: Fan Lingzhi/GT

A proposal under discussion about local regulations on the use of ethnic languages at ethnic schools and their alignment with the Chinese Constitution on the promotion of Putonghua, the standard spoken and written Chinese language, was submitted to the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) on Tuesday. 

This is the first time that a proposal for a constitutional review has been submitted to the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee for five consecutive years since 2017. It is also the first case since the establishment of the recording and review system. 

Chinese legal experts said the proposal aims to reinforce the sovereignty of Putonghua while showing respect on ethnic culture and customs. It shows the country is paying more attention to the recording and review system and also reflects the transformation of the concept of rule of law to practice. 

According to the report on the recording and review work of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee in 2021, a department of the State Council put forward a proposal on the constitutional review of education regulations in some ethnic autonomous regions, considering that the relevant provisions in the regulations failed to conform to the Constitution, which are not conducive to promoting exchanges among ethnic groups.

Chinese legal experts explained that the relevant provisions state that schools at ethnic autonomous regions shall use ethnic languages in teaching and develop bilingual education, which do not follow the principle of China's Constitution that stipulates that the state shall promote the use of standard spoken and written Chinese language nationwide.

Chang An, a professor from the Northwest University of Politics and Law, told the Global Times on Wednesday that promoting Putonghua in schools, including ethnic schools, is a national education task. However, it does not conflict with the freedom of ethnic minorities to use and develop their own languages. 

As it is clearly stated in the preamble of the Constitution, "the People's Republic of China is a unified multi-ethnic country jointly created by the people of all ethnic groups in China," it is necessary to promote Putonghua to seek national identity, promote economic and cultural exchanges among ethnic groups and maintain national unity, experts said. 

Chang said promoting Putonghua in ethnic schools could help their students to access higher education and work in bigger cities. Proficiency in Putonghua will help them have better lives.

He stressed that China has been dedicating to protecting ethnic culture and languages.  

In September 2020, a local policy in Xilingol League, in Inner Mongolia, stipulated that grade-one students will learn the subject of Chinese language and literature with unified Putonghua textbooks. The move was mistakenly interpreted by local residents as a cancellation of Mongolian language teaching.

The Chinese Ministry of Education later addressed concerns raised over bilingual courses, saying that the teaching of Putonghua does not mean the ethnic language will be phased out.

Ministry spokesperson Zheng Fuzhi said at a press conference that national laws and policies are clear that "we promote the use of national common language and also respect ethnic minorities to use their own languages. The two are not contradictory and both languages should be learned and mastered."

In February, Inner Mongolia required all ethnic schools to use standard spoken and written Chinese language for teaching of three subjects in some grades, starting from the fall semester this year.