Understanding China’s Xinjiang issue and its global significance
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N recent years, Western media have been awash with stories about the Xinjiang province of China and its Uighur population, with constant reports alleging that the predominantly Turkic-Muslim group is being mistreated, suppressed, “internally colonised” and on the brink of ethnic and cultural destruction.
The media have consistently run with this agenda, and tied it to the narrative that this people require liberation and Western-style democracy and human rights, apparently denied them by the Chinese government under the Communist Party of China (CPC).
In the view of Chinese authorities, Western media and political interests are bent on smearing China’s image and deceive the international community on the true developments in Xinjiang.
A careful analysis of the Xinjiang question reveals much deeper issues, which need to be unpacked and understood in their proper context, and how the issue is relevant to people around the world, including Zimbabwe.
Friends of China, as well as Governments and parties such as the ruling Zanu PF in Zimbabwe need to correctly locate, contextualise and understand the issue and support China in this internal issue that has a huge global implications and dividend.
Already, the Zimbabwean Government and the ruling Zanu PF have correctly expressed support and solidarity with China on its policies and actions regarding the Uighur Muslims and Xinjiang, praising China for its development achievements, human rights record, and anti-terrorism efforts in the region. They have also criticised the Western countries for interfering in China’s internal affairs and spreading false information about the situation in Xinjiang.
In December 2020, the then Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo said Zimbabwe “fully supports China’s efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, national security and territorial integrity” and “opposes any interference in China’s internal affairs under whatever pretext”.
He also commended China for its “remarkable progress in economic and social development and improvement of people’s livelihood in Xinjiang”.
In October 2019, Zanu PF’s Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu said Zimbabwe “stands with China on the issue of Xinjiang” and “respects the measures taken by the Chinese government to combat terrorism and extremism”.
Earlier, in July 2019, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to China Martin Chedondo said Zimbabwe “firmly supports China’s position on issues concerning its core interests, such as Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong and Xinjiang”.
He also said Zimbabwe “admires China’s achievements in promoting economic and social development, protecting human rights and enhancing ethnic unity in Xinjiang”.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister and Zanu-PF secretary for external affairs Simbarashe Mumbengegwi also expressed similar sentiments and praised China’s openness about the issue.
There is need for more understanding of, and expression on, this issue so that people understand what is at stake, especially in light of misleading Western propaganda bombardment.
In the next instalments, we explore other dynamics such as Chinese government programmes (contrary to claims of alleged labour and re-education camps reported in the West) and anti-terrorism and de-radicalisation efforts in Xinjiang.
Debunking Western propaganda
The major objective of this article is to highlight and illuminate a number of important issues, and assist readers to understand the issue from a factual perspective, especially against the backdrop of Western propaganda.
It is also critical to expose Western interference in the internal affairs of China, and how in the instance of the Uighers, Western countries appear to seek to weaponise Islam as a basis of shoring up the cause for separatist insurrection.
Subsequent parts of this research deal with specific issues that are being brought up regarding Xinjiang and the programmes and actions that the Chinese government is undertaking.
The overarching goal is to demonstrate that Western countries are seeking to undermine and weaken China through division and conflict, itself a futile attempt to put brakes on the unification and rejuvenation on the Chinese nation.
A formidable China is a threat to Western interests, especially the United States, as China is set to soon overtake the US as the most powerful country in the world, politically, economically, militarily and socially.
The first important point to note is that the Uighers are part of China’s 56 ethnic groups.
Each ethnic group has its own unique culture, language, customs, and beliefs; and the Government of China has implemented policies to protect the rights and interests of the ethnic minorities, such as regional autonomy, affirmative action, and cultural preservation.
President Xi Jinping and the governing Communist Party of China have emphasised the importance of consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation and unswervingly taking the correct approaches with Chinese characteristics to handling ethnic affairs.
They have called for promoting high-quality development of the “Party’s work on ethnic affairs in the new era”, and guiding all ethnic groups to jointly strive for fully building a modern socialist country.
Authorities have also stressed the principles of equality, unity, autonomy, and lawfulness for all ethnic groups, and the need to uphold the right perspective of the Chinese nation’s history and boost the sense of national identity and pride.
Further China has denounced any form of ethnic separatism and religious extremism, and vowed to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.
In August 2021, for example, President Xi addressed the issue of ethnic diversity and national unity and stated, among other important highlights, that, “All ethnic groups must be equal, and the banner of the unity of the Chinese nation must be held high.”
In the same address he also underscored that, “Ethnic affairs must be governed in accordance with the law, and national sovereignty, security and development interests must be resolutely safeguarded.”
This sets out clearly that there is neither discrimination nor an official policy of ethnic or social segregation, but that all peoples of China are pulling in one direction under the CPC with President Xi at the leadership core.
This will result in China gaining strength as a rejuvenated country that enjoys diversity, not least upheld under the system of system of “regional ethnic autonomy”, which President Xi supports and has said that it needs to be upheld and improved.
China’s strength in diversity
Clearly in China, ethnic diversity is not seen as a weakness but a strength in unity under the banner of the Chinese nation.
It is ironic, but not surprising, that Western countries are seeking to drive a wedge between Chinese people and particularly use the Uighers of Xinjiang.
What is the end goal?
The end goal is to build a case for separatism and to influence the international community into believing that the Uighers have a legitimate right to rise against the Chinese nation and to seek an independent State.
This has been the goal of Western countries in popularising notions of separatism of China’s regions such as Taiwan, Tibet and Hong Kong in recent years, all underscored by misleading notions that the peoples there no longer want Chinese “control” and desire Western style freedom and democracy and friendship with the West.
In the worst case scenario, Western countries such as the United States seek to weaponise Islam and raise destabilising forces at the doorstep of China.
Examples from recent history of the West supporting Islam for selfish reasons include the 1980s’ support for the Afghan mujahideen - the precursors of the Taliban and other contemporary militants, who were fighting against the Soviet-backed government in Afghanistan.
In the 1990s, again, the United States and some European countries backed the Bosnian Muslims, who were seeking independence from Yugoslavia.
Western media widely claimed that the Bosnian Muslims faced genocide and ethnic cleansing by the Serbs and the Croats.
The West gave them military and humanitarian support; as was the case in Kosovo in the 2000s where the West supported Kosovo Albanians, who were seeking independence from Serbia with Western media touting that the Muslims faced oppression and violence by the Serbs, and declared their independence in 2008 with the backing of the West. The script is the same.
What we are seeing in the Uigher case has striking resemblance of what has happened before the eyes of the world before.
Thus, people around the world must not be hoodwinked by the West and its shenanigans and propaganda in Xinjiang.
In other articles, we shall examine what the Government of China has been doing to address the Xinjiang issue in the face of Western onslaught as well as disinformation, misinformation, mal-information and fake news.