---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: China’s official identity is a…"
description: "\"“China’s official identity is a multiethnic state where all peoples, beliefs, and traditions are equally respected. The problem with this story is that..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/ian-johnson-95057_china_china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethn_391238.jpg"
---

#  China’s official identity is a multiethnic state where all…

![“China’s official identity is a multiethnic state where all peoples, beliefs, and traditions are equally respected. The problem with this story is that Han Chinese run the country and it is their values, their dreams, and their traditions that define the national vision—not China’s fifty-five other…” quote by Ian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/ian-johnson-95057_china_china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethn_391238.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/ian-johnson-95057_china_china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethn_391238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/ian-johnson-95057_china_china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethn_391238.jpg)

> ““China’s official identity is a multiethnic state where all peoples, beliefs, and traditions are equally respected. The problem with this story is that Han Chinese run the country and it is their values, their dreams, and their traditions that define the national vision—not China’s fifty-five other ethnic groups. Coming””

Ian Johnson

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

China claims multiethnic respect, yet Han Chinese dominate the national vision, marginalizing other ethnic groups.

**In simple terms:** Official rhetoric hides ethnic dominance.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for genuine inclusion of all ethnicities.

Themes

politics ethnicity national identity social justice

Mood

concerned critical hopeful

Type

China:1 Culture:1 Faith:0 State Peoples:0 Han Chinese:1 China Ethnic:1 Multiethnic State:1 Identity Multiethnic:0

When to use this quote

- policy analysis
- human rights advocacy
- education reform
- media critique

Key Concepts

majoritarianism cultural hegemony identity politics

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps can ensure true multiethnic representation?
- How does dominance affect cultural preservation?

A Different Perspective

Dominant narratives can suppress minority voices.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/)

## Related quotes

> [Patriotism is "a very definite feeling of preference for one's own people or State above all other peoples and States, and a consequent wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/patriotism-is-a-very-definite-feeling-of-preference-for-one-s-own/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [One of the unique features of China is that, notwithstanding the fact that it has a population of 1.3 billion, around 92% regard themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/one-of-the-unique-features-of-china-is-that-notwithstanding-the-fact/)

[Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/)

> [The two ethnic groups that remain fundamentally different from the Han Chinese - in terms of history, culture, language, religion and physical appearance -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/the-two-ethnic-groups-that-remain-fundamentally-different-from-the/)

[Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/)

> [We're always willing to look at ways NAFTA can work better. But it's a fine line between looking at ways to make it work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/we-re-always-willing-to-look-at-ways-nafta-can-work-better-but-it-s-a/)

[Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/)

> [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [India may be overtaking China as the world's most polluted country. Even now, which country is worse depends on the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/india-may-be-overtaking-china-as-the-world-s-most-polluted-country/)

[Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/)

> [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/)

[Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/)

> [Language is so specific to art, all the way to the past in China. Previously, people were not allowed to include various regional dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-zhangke/language-is-so-specific-to-art-all-the-way-to-the-past-in-china/)

[Jia Zhangke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-zhangke/)

> [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/)

[Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/)

> [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/)

[Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/)

> [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/)

[Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/)

> [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/)

[Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/)

> [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/)

[Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/)

> [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

## More by Ian Johnson

> [“The Beijing social commentator Li Fan once wrote a monograph on Christianity in China declaring that China’s unregistered churches were the only real example…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-johnson/the-beijing-social-commentator-li-fan-once-wrote-a-monograph-on/)

Ian Johnson

Explore all 2 Ian Johnson quotes

## More China quotes

> [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/)

[Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/)

> [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/)

[Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/)

> [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/)

[Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/)

> [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/)

[Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/)

> [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/)

[Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/)

> [Language is so specific to art, all the way to the past in China. Previously, people were not allowed to include various regional dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-zhangke/language-is-so-specific-to-art-all-the-way-to-the-past-in-china/)

[Jia Zhangke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-zhangke/)

> [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/)

[Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/)

> [India may be overtaking China as the world's most polluted country. Even now, which country is worse depends on the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/india-may-be-overtaking-china-as-the-world-s-most-polluted-country/)

[Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/)

> [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [We're always willing to look at ways NAFTA can work better. But it's a fine line between looking at ways to make it work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/we-re-always-willing-to-look-at-ways-nafta-can-work-better-but-it-s-a/)

[Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/)

> [The situation with Tibet has to change. China is one of the last huge dictatorships, holding on to these colonies, provinces. That has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-yauch/the-situation-with-tibet-has-to-change-china-is-one-of-the-last-huge/)

[Adam Yauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-yauch/)

> [Put plainly, China seems determined to steal its way up the economic ladder, at our expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/put-plainly-china-seems-determined-to-steal-its-way-up-the-economic/)

[Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/)

> [The remarkable thing about the Chinese is that they've operated differently than the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans. By and large, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-remarkable-thing-about-the-chinese-is-that-they-ve-operated/)

[David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/)

[Browse all 3,827 China quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“China’s official identity is a multiethnic state where all peoples, beliefs, and traditions are equally respected. The problem with this story is that Han Chinese run the country and it is their values, their dreams, and their traditions that define the national vision—not China’s fifty-five other ethnic groups. Coming”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ian Johnson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-johnson/china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethnic-state-where-all-peoples/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "China"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-johnson/china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethnic-state-where-all-peoples/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/ian-johnson-95057_china_china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethn_391238.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/ian-johnson-95057_china_china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethn_391238.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/ian-johnson-95057_china_china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethn_391238.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“China’s official identity is a multiethnic state where all peoples, beliefs, and traditions are equally…” — Ian Johnson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ian Johnson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-johnson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“China’s official identity is a multiethnic...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-johnson/china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethnic-state-where-all-peoples/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-johnson/china-s-official-identity-is-a-multiethnic-state-where-all-peoples/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```