The Ministry of the Interior has clarified rules surrounding Indigenous
citizens' name changes following criticism over stricter policies compared to
Han citizens.

According to the Ministry, Indigenous individuals who were initially
registered under a Han Chinese name are allowed to reclaim their traditional
Indigenous name.

If they later wish to revert to a Han name, they may do so—but only once in
each direction.

This policy has sparked debate, with critics saying it imposes more rigid
limits on Indigenous citizens.

In response, the Ministry cited Article 9 of the Name Act, which states that
all citizens, including Indigenous individuals, may apply to change their
names up to three times for "special reasons".

However, the Ministry emphasized that when name changes are based on
Indigenous cultural practices, there is no limit on how many times such
changes can be made.

The Ministry said local officials are being trained on Indigenous naming
rights to ensure fair application.


(IG)