Beijing, May 6 -- The Human Rights Watch has stated in a report that the Chinese government is enforcing Chinese-medium instruction and ideological influence on kindergarten children as part of efforts to assimilate Tibetans.

The 72-page report, titled Start with the Youngest Children: China Uses Preschools to 'Integrate' Tibetans, outlines that a 2021 directive issued by China's Ministry of Education, known as the Children's Speech Harmonisation plan, requires the use of standard Mandarin Chinese for all preschool teaching in ethnic minority regions.

While kindergartens are theoretically allowed to provide additional sessions in minority languages, these communities no longer hold legal authority to implement such provisions. By signif...