(TibetanReview.net, Feb26’26) – As China abolishes Tibetan as a core subject from national university entrance examinations in Tibet from this year in its latest move to fully assimilate Tibet, a French lawmaker has on Feb 25 raised the issue in parliament, asking his government to act on the unfolding civilizational tragedy. And the government has expressed deep concern over the development and called for a negotiated solution to the Sino-Tibet dispute.
In a written question to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Deputy Charles de Courson of the National Assembly has called this latest phase in China’s long-standing campaign to render the Tibetan language obsolete within a generation a form of “cultural genocide”.
He has sounded alarm over recent reports that China had expanded its mandatory colonial boarding school system in Tibet under which approximately one million Tibetan children, some as young as four, have been forcibly separated from their families to receive education almost exclusively in Mandarin.
Citing Tibetan researcher Dr Gyal Lo’s warning that if these policies persist, 70% of the Tibetan population could lose the ability to speak their native tongue by 2060, Mr de Courson has called for a firm diplomatic response from France to address violations of Tibetan culture and language rights, and for China’s compliance with its international obligations, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which it had ratified.
In his response, Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, has confirmed the country’s deep concern over the existence of a system of preschool boarding schools for young Tibetan children that threaten the transmission of Tibetan culture, language and religion to new generations, saying this contravenes the fundamental rights of the child as recognised by the UN’s International Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The minister has further asserted: “France expresses its concerns about human rights situation in Tibet in multilateral forums such as the Human Rights Council. Additionally, it is also echoed by the European Union in the context of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue as well as under item 4 of the agenda UN Human Rights Council.”
The minister has also cited his government’s call for the resumption of dialogue between His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s envoys and the Chinese authorities in order to find a lasting solution that respects Tibetan culture and language.
(based on Tibet.net report Feb 25, 2026)