This paper addresses the following questions: First, what is the origin of the conflict between Uyghurs and Han Chinese, which make up the central government? Second, who are the terrorist organizations in Xinjiang and what impact do they have on China? And as a third question, which counterterrorism measures are used by the Chinese government to fight domestic terrorism and in how far are they appropriate to achieve a more peaceful security environment in the region and the country?
After the 9/11 attacks, not only the US, but also countries all around the globe realized the comprehensive threat posed to them by terrorist organizations. Consequently, a revision and enhancement of the counterterrorism capabilities took place all over. This also happened in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which widened their counterterrorism measures and joined Bush’s ‘war on terror’. The target of this newly inflamed campaign was mainly the Uyghur population of Xinjiang district, seen as a major threat of domestic unrest by the Chinese government.
Separated from China proper through a wide geographical distance and the differing culture of Islam, this region had been a child of sorrow for them for a long time. Because of that, the central government used the chance to intensify their fight against separatism and extremist terrorism, which it assumed to be originating mainly in XInjiang. However, China is facing a peak of terrorist attacks since 2014, which proves their strategy of proceeding with cruelty far from perfect.
Therefore, this paper will have a closer look at the ‘Uyghur case’ and assesses the authorities' counterterrorism measures. For this analysis, mainstream literature by Krueger & Malečková and Kydd & Walter is used, which examines the impact of economic factors on the likelihood to join a terrorist organization and the consequences of indiscriminate counterterrorism measures. Finally, it will postulate some policy advice, useful for maintaining stability in the area while at the same time reducing the threat of terrorist attacks for the country.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Introducing the Uyghur case
1. Xinjiang history at a glance and the roots of Uyghur grievances
2. Terrorist organizations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
a) Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) aka. (Eastern) Turkistan Islamic Party’ ([E]TIP)
b) Eastern Turkistan Liberation Organization (ETLO)
3. Quantitative study of the impact of terrorism on China
III. Chinese counterterrorism measures
1. Excursus: Where do the Chinese policy decisions come from?
2. China’s plans to fight the terror
a) Promoting economic growth
b) Broadening the legislation
c) Combating ‘religious extremism’ and strengthening the law enforcement
IV. Policy advising
V. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the conflict surrounding the Uyghur population in China’s Xinjiang region and assesses the effectiveness of Chinese counterterrorism measures. By analyzing the history of the region, the nature of local terrorist organizations, and the institutional framework of Chinese state security, the study seeks to determine whether current policies are appropriate for ensuring stability or if they are potentially counterproductive.
- Historical roots of Uyghur grievances and ethnic demographic shifts.
- Identification and roles of militant groups like ETIM and ETLO.
- Quantitative analysis of terrorist incidents using the Global Terrorism Database (GTD).
- Evaluation of Chinese central government policy decision-making and legislative responses.
- Strategic recommendations for future policy and regional stability.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Terrorist organizations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
The landscape of terrorist organizations in Xinjiang is very opaque. Gathering information, finding relations between organizations, or even knowing if organizations are still in existence is difficult, mainly due to the strict control of information enforced by the Chinese government. Consequently, even Reed and Raschke (2010, p. 35-41), to who I will mainly refer to, list not less than 25 different groups in their brief overview of groups in Xinjiang. Since the GTD database, which will be used to quantify the impact of terrorism in the next chapter, only distinguishes between the universal term Uighur Separatists, Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP), ETIM and some other universally labeled groups, only the latter two will be examined in greater detail.
a) Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM)
aka. (Eastern) Turkistan Islamic Party’ ([E]TIP)
Founded by Hasan Mahsum in 1997, the Islamic separatist group ETIM is probably the best-known Chinese terrorist group since it has been listed by the US State Department in 2002 and, subsequently, by the UN. According to Potter (2013, p. 72), it has recently begun to refer to itself as ‘(Eastern) Turkistan Islamic Party’ ([E]TIP). Xu, Fletcher, and Bajoria (2014) note, that some experts see ETIM as ‘umbrella group’ containing many splinter groups of Uyghur separatists also in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This could be the reason why they subsume all 200 terrorist incidents from 1990 to 2001 and the 162 deaths thereof, carried out by “Uyghur groups” according to China Internet Information Center (2002), under ETIM’s label. How many attacks really have been conducted by ETIM remains unclear; however, they include assassinations and the bombing of buses, markes and governmental Institutions in Xinjiang, Beijing and even Turkey.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: The introduction outlines the post-9/11 security environment, positioning Xinjiang as a focal point of Chinese state security concerns regarding separatism and terrorism.
II. Introducing the Uyghur case: This chapter contextualizes the conflict through the lens of history, demographics, and the activities of prominent separatist and terrorist organizations influencing the region.
III. Chinese counterterrorism measures: An analysis of the institutional bodies responsible for Chinese security policy and the diverse, mostly restrictive, measures employed to combat extremism in the region.
IV. Policy advising: Based on earlier findings, this chapter proposes policy adjustments aimed at fostering integration and reducing the systemic grievances that drive support for extremism.
V. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the key findings, reiterating that current indiscriminate counterterrorism strategies may inadvertently exacerbate tensions and suggests a shift toward more inclusive governance.
Keywords
Xinjiang, Uyghurs, China, Terrorism, Counterterrorism, Separatism, ETIM, ETIP, Human Rights, Chinese Communist Party, Religious Extremism, Policy Analysis, Internal Security, Social Stability, Strike Hard Campaigns
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the socio-political conflict between the Chinese central government and the Uyghur population in the Xinjiang region, specifically investigating the impact of government counterterrorism measures.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Central themes include the historical grievances of the Uyghurs, the structure of terrorist organizations within the region, the impact of state-led economic and legislative interventions, and human rights concerns.
What is the main objective of the study?
The primary goal is to assess whether China's counterterrorism strategies are effective in creating a peaceful security environment or if they contribute to the radicalization of the local population.
Which methodology is applied to the research?
The author utilizes a qualitative review of mainstream literature combined with a quantitative analysis of terrorist incident data sourced from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD).
What topics are covered in the main section of the book?
The main section covers the history of Xinjiang, a detailed overview of terrorist groups like ETIM/ETIP, an analysis of the Chinese national security apparatus, and an evaluation of legislative and economic policy outcomes.
How would you characterize the keywords defining this paper?
The paper is defined by terms centering on regional stability, ethnic relations, security policies, and the complex intersection of governance and domestic terrorism in China.
Does the author consider the role of the National Security Commission?
Yes, the author discusses the NSC as a relatively new powerful institution under Xi Jinping, responsible for centralizing national security decision-making and aligning counterterrorism efforts.
What is the significance of the "strike hard" campaigns mentioned?
The author highlights these campaigns as systematic state-led operations that, while intended to suppress separatism, are argued to have served as a catalyst for Uyghur resentment and further radicalization.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2017, The Xinjiang conflict and the utility of China’s counter-terrorism measures, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1320774
