ABSTRACT
Xinjiang is China's largest province and is located in the extreme north-western side of the country. It is also called the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The conflict in Xinjiang is a multifaceted one. Traditionally, as a region, Xinjiang has been contested by the Han Chinese, Central Asians of various ethnicities, and the Russians. Religious identity and ethnic identity in contemporary China especially in the more peripheral parts are often intertwined. The reason why religious groups have been viewed with suspicion in China is because historically, they have had strong linkages with secret societies that have tried to overthrow the Chinese Empire. Religious groups in China are seen as subversive and as recalcitrant elements and hence very threatening. State policies directed towards ethnic minorities and religious groups have been based on Marxism and therefore atheism. State policies have been by and large based on the model of the former Soviet Union.
