China's Strategic Position in East Turkistan

East Turkistan is rich in natural minerals and resources. If China didn't take over, we would essentially be the Dubai or Abu Dhabi of Central Asia. Our country borders with nine other countries, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, India, Russia towards the North Mongolia. So it's very strategic in that sense as well.

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This week we shall be looking at the situation of the Muslim’s in China. Welcome to the first podcast of The Thinking Muslim, follow the show on @thinking_muslim and do remember to subscribe. For the past few years news about the plight of the Uyghurs in the restive north-western region of Xinjiang, known as East Turkestan, has gradually worsened. The destruction of Mosques; the use of technology to monitor every movement of the population, the banning of fasting in Ramadan, the introduction of Han Chinese visitors to each home to observe the family unit, the closing of Islamic seminaries have all been documented as the Chinese state attempts to disassociate Islam from the daily practice of ordinary believers. But it is the introduction of camps, what the Chinese government euphuistically calls ‘re-education centres that have focussed minds around the world that nothing less than the annihilation of an entire religious and cultural identity is taking place in full view of the international community. The Uyghurs have always resisted Chinese rule and their heroism in the face of Chinese imperialism predates 1949 when Chairman Mao brought the Communists to power. The Uyghurs suffered under the repression of the Cultural Revolution, where religion was suppressed. But in recent years, China’s rapid development has allowed it to acquire sophisticated forms of state control, never seen in the history of authoritarian rule. The state regulates every inch of the lives of its Muslim population, on a scale and ambition that informs us about the type of world China is trying to create. To try and understand more about the Uyghurs and their struggle, this week I am pleased to have as our guest on the Thinking Muslim Podcast, Arslan Hidayat an Uyghur activist and campaigner currently based in Turkey to talk to us about the extent to which Muslim Uyghurs have been subject to China’s programme of repression. Arslan has been active for many years, bringing to the world’s attention the situation in East Turkestan, long before it was adopted by the mainstream press. He remains in contact with members of the community and has become a source of information for many. He can be found on Twitter, @arslan_hidayat and I would encourage you all to follow him. You can also access my medium page here https://medium.com/@thinkingmuslim/the-thinking-muslim-podcast-a-conversation-with-uyghur-activist-arslan-hidayet-20fe43015154

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