WASHINGTON, D.C./BEIJING/TAIPEI: A man identified by activists and a Tibetan media group as a Tibetan died from serious burns when he immolated himself near the United Nations headquarters in New York City on July 2.

Police said they received an emergency call around 6:30 p.m. and found the man badly burned. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he died. Authorities did not release his name or explain why he did it, and investigations are still ongoing.

Voice of Tibet, a media outlet run by Tibetans in exile, said the man was activist Lobga Rangzen. It reported that he set himself on fire outside the UN after making a public appeal for Tibetan independence and unity.

Local media reported that Rangzen worked as an Uber driver and that he carried a Tibetan flag. Another driver who knew him said Rangzen was angry about restrictions placed by the Chinese government on Tibetans.

Responding to the incident, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Tibet has always been part of China and expressed confidence that other countries would handle the situation in accordance with their own laws.

Self-immolation has been used before by Tibetans as a form of protest against China's policies in Tibet and nearby areas.

China took control of Tibet in 1950, calling it a peaceful liberation. Critics, including human rights groups and Tibetan exiles, say China's rule in Tibet is oppressive, but China denies this.

The incident comes as the United States and the European Union have raised concerns about China's new ethnic unity law, which took effect this week. The law allows China to take action against people even outside its borders.

A senior official in Taiwan compared the law to an old imperial order because of how widely it could be applied.

The law came into effect on July 1 and allows China to take action against people even outside its borders.

China says the law is meant to create a shared national identity among its 55 ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs. However, many Tibetans around the world oppose it.

China introduced the law in March to build a shared national identity among its 55 ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs. Some of these groups have been unhappy with Chinese rule and have held protests, some of which turned violent.

One part of the law states that individuals or groups outside China may be punished if they are deemed to harm ethnic unity or to encourage separation.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the law will help protect the rights of all ethnic groups and strengthen unity. He accused some countries of being biased and ignoring China's progress, while spreading false information and interfering in its affairs.

He urged those countries to respect the facts and stop exaggerating ethnic issues.

The law has raised concerns in Taiwan, as it could give China more power to target people it considers supporters of Taiwan's independence.

A senior Taiwanese official said the law could apply almost anywhere in the world. He warned Taiwanese people to be careful when traveling to countries close to China, such as Belarus and Cambodia, as they might be sent to China.

A Chinese official said Taiwanese visitors do not need to worry, but warned that anyone supporting Taiwan's independence and trying to divide the country would be punished under the law.