I just did and it was fascinating!
I never imagined that there was so much awareness of those issues in China, and it pains me to sometimes see a more pertinent understanding of those questions than what can be found in our own medias plagued by political correctness.
Recently I took an interest in how China approaches Islam in China. I saw that they also have rising problems with Uyghurs, and that they toughened their policies to remedy it, after trying a softer way. Regrettably it was difficult to find a good content in English for those issues.
China's governance of minorities, including the Muslim Uyghurs, is also fraught with problems, but the general method is some sort of separation/ apartheid. May not be PC, but it has seemed to work (for the most part). Minorities tend to congregate, which makes it easier for the PRC to govern as well. They are separated into distinct "enclaves", administrative regions where they are allowed a certain amount of autonomy, including selection of representatives to the CCP, mayors / chiefs, etc. The government has many "affirmative action" policies for them, investing heavily in minority-area schools, infrastructure, and cultural initiatives (including working hard to help protect their cultural practices and languages). In addition, they were always exempt from the one-child policy, have a separate national welfare and healthcare account that dwarfs that of regular Chinese citizens per person, and have consistently seen more investment per capita for economic initiatives in their areas.
Those that seek to move to urban areas also receive preferential treatment, and great of help in integrating / assimilating with general Han society. Most of the cultural tourism destinations, private infrastructure, hotels, f&b businesses, real estate, micro banks, and more, related to minorities, are owned by minority citizens that have integrated into greater PRC society.
There's a reason that of the 55 recognized minority ethnic groups, 54 have massive majorities that are ardent supporters of the Communist Party. Whereas the international media has made an issue of rural Han Chinese fighting to get Hukous (in summary, a registration that shows their "residency" in cities, allowing agricultural and migrant workers to go to schools, hospitals, etc. in cities), they have also been quiet on the situation where many people from rural areas try to claim to be minorities, and fight for that recognition, to gain those benefits.
I also find pertinent to this discussion, that the only ethnic minority that is in general dissatisfied with the PRC rule are the Uyghurs, who wish for their own "Islamic" state. Even the Tibetans, in general (with the exception of the so-called Dalai clique), support the government.
I see that the European nations are trying, and have tried, for many years, to help the Muslim minority...but they never tried separating them into semi-autonomous areas, while still encouraging them to "come out" and assimilate. You guys may argue that you may have, but the fundamental difference in China's approach is STOPPING IMMIGRATION. Minorities are allowed to grow organically, given economic support, and assimilation support, but the nation refuses to allow related minorities, whether Miao/Hmong from SE Asian nations, or Muslim immigrants from Central Asia, to immigrate into minority areas.
IMHO, the European nations should take a look at these policies, while studying the integration of the Hui minority in China. The Hui people, also majority Muslim, have great support within themselves the greater integration and assimilation of their people with the nation as a whole, and their Muslim leaders have said many times that the core tenets of their faith stand in solidarity with Christianity and Judaism, and share many beliefs in peace and respect with Buddhism and Daoism. They are among the most successful minorities in China, topping GDP / capita of all ethnic groups. Most of the famous lamb, goat, and noodle restaurants showcasing north-western Chinese cuisine, in China's major cities, are owned and run by the Hui. Although the majority are practicing Muslims, and few intermarry, they frequently intermingle with other ethnic and religious groups, and a vast majority see themselves as Chinese FIRST.
They have also been the target of much Uyghur violence, as the Uyghur's consider them to be "consorting with infidels". Many Uyghur's consider the Hui as apostates for celebrating the Chinese New Year with the rest of China, and over the years, there have been many attacks on Hui neighborhoods and businesses during the New Year.
