World

China’s Grip Tightens: How Beijing Silences Critics of Tibetan Rights, Even Abroad

Activist Zhang Yadi, detained in China for advocating Tibetan rights, faces 15 years for undermining national unity.

September 30, 2025, 12:32 PM

Protesters hold Tibetan flag and signs outside a modern building under a bright sky

Protesters, including Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Hong Kongers, gather outside Royal Mint Court in London to demonstrate against the proposed Chinese "super-embassy." By Pete Speller / Shutterstock.com.

Executive Summary

Chinese student activist Zhang Yadi, 22, was detained in China on July 31 on charges of “undermining national unity” for her advocacy of Tibetan rights.

Zhang, who had been studying in France, faces a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years for her activism, which included editing a pro-Tibetan digital platform.

Her detention underscores Beijing’s intensifying crackdown on dissent and its efforts to control narratives about ethnic minorities, even extending to its citizens living abroad.

The Story So Far

The Chinese government maintains a strict crackdown on dissent and exerts tight control over narratives concerning ethnic minorities, both domestically and increasingly among its citizens abroad, viewing advocacy for groups like Tibetans as ‘undermining national unity.’ This stance is rooted in China’s 1951 annexation of Tibet and its ongoing policies of alleged forced assimilation and restricted freedoms, making any challenge to its authority on these issues a serious offense.

Why This Matters

The detention of Chinese student activist Zhang Yadi on charges of “undermining national unity” underscores Beijing’s intensifying crackdown on dissent, particularly concerning ethnic minority rights, and signals a significant expansion of its efforts to control narratives and suppress criticism, even among its citizens studying or living abroad, thereby raising the stakes for any Chinese national challenging state policies.

Who Thinks What?

The Chinese government views Zhang Yadi’s advocacy for Tibetan rights as “undermining national unity,” a serious charge under Chinese law, and claims to have improved living standards in Tibet.

Zhang Yadi and other activists believe the Chinese state’s treatment of ethnic minorities is problematic, with Zhang having publicly critiqued the “colonising, enslaving, and assimilating” of indigenous peoples in China’s southwestern ethnic groups.

Human Rights Watch and other critics consider Zhang’s detention an example of Beijing’s ongoing crackdown on dissent, its tight control over narratives concerning ethnic minorities, and increasing efforts to suppress critical voices, even among citizens abroad.

Chinese student activist Zhang Yadi, 22, has been detained since July 31 in China on charges of “undermining national unity” due to her advocacy for Tibetan rights. Arrested in Yunnan province while visiting from France, where she had been studying, Zhang now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years. Her detention highlights Beijing’s ongoing crackdown on dissent and its tight control over narratives concerning ethnic minorities.

Detention Details and Charges

Zhang was arrested on July 31 in China’s southwestern province of Yunnan. She is currently being held in her hometown in Hunan province, according to Human Rights Watch. The organization reports that Zhang is accused of “undermining national unity,” a serious charge under Chinese law that can carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

Activism and International Connections

Prior to her detention, Zhang was known for her work as the editor of a Chinese-language digital platform dedicated to promoting Tibetan culture, easing ethnic tensions, and encouraging transitional justice and reconciliation. She was also an active voice on social media, often posting critiques of the Chinese state’s treatment of ethnic minorities. One of her posts on X stated, “The history of China’s southwestern ethnic groups is a bloody tale of Han Chinese colonising, enslaving, and assimilating the indigenous peoples.”

Zhang had been studying at the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris (ESCP) and was scheduled to commence further studies in London this September. Her political activism reportedly intensified after she moved to France in 2022, where she began contributing to a pro-Tibetan newsletter published by the group Chinese Youth Stand for Tibet (CYST).

Her partner, Tibetan activist Kalsang Yarphel, told The Guardian that Zhang had found it difficult to express her views while living in China. He noted her concern for problems faced by Mongolians, Tibetans, and Uyghurs, and how writing for the pro-Tibetan newsletter provided an outlet for her sentiments.

Broader Context of Control

Zhang’s arrest coincides with tighter controls on political speech both within China and among its citizens abroad. A draft law introduced recently aims to ban actions that “damage ethnic unity,” including those carried out by Chinese nationals overseas. Human Rights Watch suggests this legislation could be used to criminalize dissent even beyond China’s borders.

Tibet, officially an autonomous region of China, was annexed by Beijing in 1951. While the Chinese government claims to have improved living standards in the region, human rights groups allege that authorities have imposed tight surveillance, restricted religious freedom, and pursued a policy of forced assimilation.

Implications of the Detention

Zhang’s detention underscores the Chinese government’s increasing efforts to suppress voices critical of its policies, particularly concerning ethnic minorities. It also signals a widening net for perceived dissent, even among its citizens living abroad, reflecting Beijing’s resolve to control narratives that challenge its authority.