excellent protection of indigenous culture
Lmao, this is like saying the US has excellent protection of indigenous culture.
Recognized or not, it is a independent political, economical, and cultural entity from China. Calling it part of China is just unhelpful burocracy.
Except for the part that they claim they are part of China, are strongly economically coupled with China, and are full of Chinese people, sure.
The bourgeois elections are the least important part of politics