Central News Agency (Central News Agency, Taipei, July 3) China's "Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress" (hereinafter referred to as the "Promotion Law") came into effect on July 1. The international community has expressed concern that the law involves issues of human rights oppression, cross-border suppression, and long-arm jurisdiction. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded today, urging relevant countries to stop hyping up ethnic issues and interfering in China's internal affairs. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a regular press conference this afternoon. According to Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded at the press conference, stating, "Relevant countries cling to ideological biases and, for political manipulation, turn a blind eye to China's economic and social development and achievements in human rights governance. They make generalizations, maliciously denigrate China's ethnic policies, fabricate and spread false information, crudely interfere in China's internal affairs, and undermine China's ethnic unity. China firmly opposes this." Guo Jiakun said, "China urges relevant countries to respect basic facts, stop spreading lies, and stop hyping up so-called ethnic issues and interfering in China's internal affairs." A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State recently stated that this "problematic" law imposes broad obligations on individuals, institutions, and organizations (including those outside of China) to actively promote the CCP's agenda of "ethnic unity." The United States will defend its sovereignty and protect individuals within its borders from overreach by foreign governments and regimes that attempt to silence, intimidate, harass, harm, or coerce others. The European Parliament passed a resolution in April strongly condemning and calling on Beijing to repeal the Promotion Law. The European Parliament stated at the time that the law embodies "China's op