March 10, 2025, Beijing Great Hall of the People—A security guard stands at the entrance before the closing ceremony of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. (WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images)
[People News] The CCP's "National Unity and Progress Promotion Law" officially came into effect on July 1. This law has been labeled by external observers as the world's first malicious legislation that openly legalizes "transnational repression." Scholars have noted that the law's criteria for conviction are vague, allowing authorities to interpret it in a manner akin to "pocket crimes." This could potentially include a wide range of areas, from children's education and business operations to overseas speech, setting a dangerous precedent for the full legal endorsement of transnational repression.
Lai Ching-te: The "Unity Law" is an Evil Law, the CCP is Progressing Further Down an Irreversible Path
On March 12, the CCP passed the "National Unity and Progress Promotion Law" (referred to as the "Unity Law"), which took effect on July 1. The law comprises 7 chapters and a total of 65 articles.
According to reports from The Dajiyuan, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te remarked on July 1 during a meeting of the DPP's Central Executive Committee that this law not only raises international concerns but also signifies the CCP's further escalation of "long-arm jurisdiction" and cross-border repression. He emphasized that in the future, any government, official, enterprise, organization, or individual could face unreasonable suppression and sanctions as a result of this law.
Lai Ching-te criticized the CCP for ignoring international opposition and insisting on passing this malicious law that "under the pretext of unity, actually aims at assimilation and annihilation." He highlighted that the CCP is straying further down the irreversible path of totalitarianism and dictatorship, completely contradicting global trends and underscoring the widening gap between Taiwan and the CCP.
Wu Se-zhi, director of the China Research Center at a Taiwanese think tank, stated in an interview with The Dajiyuan that the most significant danger of this law lies in the fact that "while it superficially discusses national unity, it fundamentally pertains to political loyalty and legal obligations."
He believes that Beijing is trying to further advance political purges and ethnic assimilation under the pretext of 'national unity.' Externally, it aims to hold individuals accountable through legal means, bringing actions deemed to 'undermine national unity' or 'split the nation' under its long-arm jurisdiction.
Wu Sezhi highlights that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is progressively pushing forward its legal warfare strategy. From the 'Anti-Secession Law' enacted in 2005, to the so-called '22 Articles to Punish Taiwan Independence' set for 2024, and now to the 'National Unity and Progress Promotion Law,' it is clear that the CCP intends to use legal warfare to compel the people of Taiwan and other nations to submit to the political narrative it has constructed, step by step.
Since Xi Jinping took office in 2012, the CCP has been promoting the idea that Xinjiang, Tibet, and other ethnic minorities should first identify themselves as patriotic citizens. Human rights organizations and activists assert that the creation and implementation of the 'Unity Law' mark the codification of this assimilation campaign by the CCP.
Li Youtan, a professor at National Chengchi University in Taiwan, told The Dajiyuan that the 'Unity Law' not only further consolidates the CCP's total control over society and ideology but also extends its jurisdiction beyond its borders, displaying clear characteristics of cross-border repression.
He noted that one of the main issues with this law is that its provisions are highly vague and open to broad interpretation. 'The legal content is unclear, which allows for the possibility of fabricating charges at any time and criminalizing individuals.'
The law mandates that parents educate their children in line with the so-called principles of 'the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation', 'the Chinese nation as one family', and 'loving the Communist Party of China'. Li Youtan argues that the law's purpose is 'to start with children and control the future of all Chinese people', while also promoting Mandarin education and further limiting the space for minority languages and cultures.
The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) oppressive law is now in effect, impacting eight categories of high-risk groups.
For decades, the CCP has employed harassment and threats against the families of dissidents living abroad to silence them, a tactic referred to as 'transnational repression'.
According to Taiwanese national security officials, the targets of the CCP's 'Unity Law' are quite broad, specifically affecting eight major categories of individuals. Officials noted that the first category includes overseas Uyghurs, Tibetans, Mongolians, and others, whom the CCP accuses of engaging in national and ethnic separatism. Measures against them may include coercion to return, punitive actions against family members, and surveillance by secret police. The second category consists of overseas political figures who face sanctions from the CCP, including restrictions on entering China.
The third category encompasses scholars, journalists, and think tank researchers, who may encounter visa denials, immigration checks, or be pressured to publish articles favorable to the CCP. The fourth category includes Taiwanese citizens and officials, who will be held accountable under Article 63 of the law. The fifth category pertains to overseas Chinese and dissidents, while the sixth category includes collaborators with international companies and democratic nations. Officials provided examples of multinational corporations advocating for non-Red supply chains and participating in export controls against China, which could also become targets for sanctions.
The seventh category includes creators on online platforms who are deemed by the CCP to violate national interests and the spirit of national unity. As a result, they may be required to remove their content or even have their accounts blocked. The eighth category encompasses religious groups, such as the Yiguandao from Taiwan.
According to Wu Sezhi's analysis, this law directly integrates "cross-strait exchanges" into the framework of national unity. Consequently, various forums, meetings, and exchange activities in the future could be framed as essential components for achieving national unity.
He believes that Beijing may demand that organizations within China, overseas Chinese communities, and even relevant groups in Taiwan collectively undertake the political responsibility of promoting national unity.
In his perspective, the CCP is systematically embedding nationalism, patriotism, and the legitimacy of its rule into the legal framework to construct the officially endorsed "Chinese national community."
Feng Chongyi, an associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney, remarked to The Dajiyuan that the CCP's law has a particularly pronounced impact on Taiwanese society. He noted that there remains a substantial amount of economic and trade interaction between Taiwan and China, with many Taiwanese investing and running businesses in China, and some individuals frequently traveling between the two regions.
He pointed out that if a commercial dispute arises, political statements that were previously overlooked could become grounds for law enforcement. Authorities might even resort to administrative detention, criminal detention, or impose criminal penalties based on such statements.
Beyond individual risks, Feng Chongyi also believes that foreign companies may face repercussions in the future. He explained that this law broadens the scope for political interpretation, which could expose foreign enterprises to risks as well.
Analysis: The "Unity Law" primarily serves to protect the interests of the Communist Party's governance.
The CCP's "Unity Law" has not only caused a stir across the strait but has also rapidly incited a strong backlash from the international community.
Recently, members of the U.S. Congress, the Japanese Diet, the German Foreign Ministry, the Australian government, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, along with various international dignitaries, lawmakers, and human rights organizations, have condemned the malicious law introduced by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The European Parliament had previously passed a resolution indicating that this CCP law promotes assimilation policies, severely restricts cultural, religious, and linguistic freedoms, and violates the CCP's obligations under international law. The resolution urged the CCP government to repeal the law and called on all EU member states to suspend their extradition treaties with China.
Li Youtan noted that in recent years, the CCP has introduced a series of laws, including the Anti-Espionage Law, National Security Law, Data Security Law, Personal Information Protection Law, Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, Foreign Relations Law, and the Private Economy Promotion Law. With the addition of the National Unity and Progress Promotion Law, it is evident that the scope of national security and political control is continuously expanding.
He stated, "This trend in law-making demonstrates that the CCP has effectively kidnapped the Chinese people and the entire Chinese nation, demanding that all Chinese individuals, as well as those who identify as part of the Chinese nation, must pledge allegiance to the Communist Party of China."
He further argued that "on the surface, the so-called national unity and progress is presented as being for the sake of national unity and state interests; however, in reality, it serves to uphold the interests of the Communist Party's rule, which is the first aspect that needs to be revealed."
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