ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the causes of the ethnic conflict in Xinjiang and the internationalization of this conflict since the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. Despite the focus on contemporary development, this region currently known as Xinjiang has experienced unrest and uprisings for centuries. Instead of resolving the enduring conflict between the Chinese state and the Uyghurs, who are advocating for greater political autonomy or independence, the current PRC policies and practices actually exacerbate the schism. Uyghur diasporic groups have sought to garner international support to put pressure on the PRC. International awareness of the Uyghur issue indeed has grown, but this has not translated into sufficient international pressure to push for reform in China. Instead, the Chinese government has sought to delegitimize foreign influence. Present developments further show how Xinjiang has been turned into a police state. All these imply that in the near future, the Uyghur conflict will likely escalate rather than subside.
