Read RFA coverage of this topic in Uyghur. lawmakers gathered on Capitol Hill in Washington this week to mark “East Turkestan National Day,” the anniversary of two short-lived independent Uyghur states pledging their support for Uyghurs facing persecution in northwestern China 12 marks the founding of the two republics called East Turkestan in 1933 and in 1944 in what is now known as China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region The United States and parliaments of other Western countries have declared that China has committed genocide or crimes against humanity in Xinjiang based on credible evidence of mass detentions in camps forced sterilizations of Uyghur woman and other severe rights abuses Wednesday’s event was attended by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and officials from the Uyghur American Association The commemoration began with the national anthems of the U.S followed by remarks from UAA President Elfidar Iltebir and a short film about the two independent republics Statements of congratulations were delivered by Congressional-Executive Committee on China chairs Rep who was recently tapped by President-Elect Donald Trump to lead the State Department issued a statement marking the anniversary US blacklists 3 more Chinese textile firms over Uyghur slave labor British foreign secretary under fire for failing to raise Uyghur genocide in China Turghunjan Alawudun elected head of World Uyghur Congress Pelosi described Uyghur culture and governance as “treasure[s] to be preserved She also reaffirmed what she called “strongly bipartisan” support for the Uyghurs in both houses millions of Uyghurs and other Muslims have endured outrageous barbaric abuses,” she said “We want to make sure that those in prison .. “I always say if we don’t speak out for human rights in China … We lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights in any other place in the world,” she added Congressman Suozzi acknowledged the work and sacrifices that the diaspora has put into highlighting the persecution Uyghurs face in China pointing out that their activism subjects them to “transnational repression in the process.” He vowed to continue working with the community to help bring relief to their friends and family members back in Xinjiang In a message delivered to attendees by a representative Rubio emphasized the genocide Uyghurs are facing and the need for stronger “We need to take further actions to impose economic and reputational costs on the CCP,” he said “Countries around the world also need to do more to stop the goods produced with [Uyghur] forced labor from entering their countries religious scholars and cultural icons who are still in prison and to stop the CCP from subjecting Uyghur women to horrific crimes sexual violence and separation from their children,” he said A statement by CECC Co-chair Christopher Smith said that he expected Rubio would further elevate the Uyghur issue as part of U.S “We do have our work cut out for us,” he said “But I believe that together with your leadership here noted in a statement that while some steps have been taken regarding the Chinese government’s Uyghur genocide and the incoming Trump administration needs to take stronger measures The first East Turkestan Republic was founded by Turkic - mostly Uyghur - intellectuals on Nov 12 in 1933 as the only independent republic of Turkic people outside of the Republic of Turkey formed a decade earlier at the end of the Ottoman Empire The budding nation was formed around the capital of Kashgar city - a key node in the ancient Silk Road trade route between China and the West - and had its own flag Hui Muslim warlords nominally allied with the Kuomintang-led nationalist government in Nanjing sacked Kashgar in 1934 leading to the dissolution of the republic on April 16 that year The first republic served as an example for the second was more fully formed and boasted its own standing army with modern weaponry The state was initially backed by the Soviet Union but funding ceased as a result of Moscow’s wartime alliance with the Chinese nationalists' Republic of China It was dissolved when communist forces prompted nationalist troops to retreat from mainland China to the island of Taiwan and Mao Zedong formally declared the establishment of the People’s Republic of China on Oct they demonstrated the Uyghur community’s capacity to manage an independent state based on democratic principles George Washington University Professors Sean Roberts and Eric Schlussel elaborated on the Uyghur experience of nation-building Roberts noted that the Uyghurs are not just a minority demanding equal rights in China but rather a community aspiring for national self-determination Schluessel lamented that both Uyghur republics fell victim to power politics between China and the Soviet Union He said that the 91st and 80th anniversaries of the republics are a time to reflect on “the ongoing experiments that are [part of] the struggle for Uyghur political rights.” “I look forward to witnessing the next experiment whatever form it takes and wherever it may be,” he added UAA President Iltebir expressed gratitude for the “tremendous support” that the U.S government has provided to the Uyghur community “East Turkestan Republic Day holds great significance for us,” he said “This event is incredibly meaningful because it demonstrates that the U.S An earlier version of this story mistakenly said that the second East Turkestan Republic lasted until 1946 Kazakh airline QAZAQ AIR is to resume regular flights on the Turkistan-Samarkand route Services will be operated twice a week according to the following schedule (all local times): The route also provides connecting flights with QAZAQ AIR to Astana with onward connecting flights departing from Turkistan for the capital of Kazakhstan The news came soon after Samarkand International Airport announced a further expansion of its direct route network with services to Baku and Krasnoyarsk Azerbaijan Airlines is to operate two flights a week to Baku Wednesdays and Sundays while Ural Airlines is to introduce direct flights to Krasnoyarsk every Tuesday "The resumption of services between Samarkand and Turkistan provides an important link between two spiritual and historical centers This route also strengthens the commercial and business links between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.” “Overseas visitors to Samarkand can enjoy the modern tourism infrastructure that has been carefully curated to help showcase the historic treasures that are housed in one of the world’s oldest cities An increasing number of tourists are recognizing the treasures in Samarkand and our neighboring areas of Urumqi locations that offer such rich historical heritage.” Kazakh airline Qazaq Air has launched a new international flight route connecting Astana and Samarkand with a stopover in Turkistan The new route is expected to strengthen air connectivity between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and offers unique opportunities for cultural and tourism exchange between the historic regions of Central Asia The flight is also accessible to passengers from Karaganda and Kostanay ensuring convenient links between various regions of Kazakhstan and Samarkand “A comfortable flight with convenient connections between Astana and Samarkand offers residents and travelers a unique chance to immerse themselves in history and tradition,” said Adilbek Umraliev Flights will operate twice a week – on Thursdays and Sundays It is worth noting that in the spring of last year the airline received official authorization to operate regular flights on the Turkistan–Samarkand–Turkistan route Such framing obscures the root cause: the illegal occupation and ongoing colonization of East Turkistan by China To end the genocide and achieve lasting peace and justice for the East Turkistani people the world must recognize that this is not a question of human rights or religious persecution—it is a colonial crisis and regained independence as the State of Yette Sheher (1864–1877) before being re-occupied by the Qing Empire in December 1877 In 1884, Beijing renamed the country “Xinjiang” (meaning “New Territory”)—a colonial term imposed to normalize its conquest and Chinese settlers were encouraged to alter the nation’s demographics These were not merely administrative measures—they were calculated steps in the construction of a colonial regime the people of East Turkistan continued to resist the occupation and sought to re-establish their independence Under the pretext of “peaceful liberation,” the PLA dismantled East Turkistan’s sovereignty and imposed a colonial regime that persists today Since then, Beijing has implemented long-term strategies aimed at erasing East Turkistan’s national identity and integrating the nation into its Han-centric nation-building project. These strategies have included mass settlement of Han Chinese colonists, criminalization of East Turkistani history and identity suppression of cultural and religious freedoms Although some observers refer to these policies as “assimilation,” such language understates the scope and violence of China’s actions This is not cultural integration—it is national erasure and demographic replacement What makes this genocide even more insidious is its bureaucratic and technological sophistication. The CCP uses AI surveillance, biometric data collection, and big data policing to monitor and control every aspect of East Turkistani life Genocide in East Turkistan is not committed with bombs or mass graves—it is executed with facial recognition cameras Chinese strategists have long seen East Turkistan as a buffer protecting the Chinese state from perceived threats to its west and north This logic continues to shape Beijing’s approach today: the occupation of East Turkistan is central to advancing China’s geopolitical ambitions including control over critical infrastructure and the stability of its broader colonial system The erasure of East Turkistan is not about internal security—it is about imperial consolidation and expansion The Uyghur genocide is therefore not a domestic or regional issue—it is an international one It is rooted in a colonial model of domination that has broad implications for global security Yet the international community continues to treat East Turkistan as a part of China’s “internal affairs,” even as it condemns the crimes taking place there This contradiction lies at the heart of the global failure to stop the genocide By framing the issue merely as one of “human rights” or “religious repression,” leaders obscure the core truth: East Turkistan is an occupied country and the Uyghurs are not a “minority group,” but a nation under siege This framing benefits Beijing by allowing it to invoke sovereignty and non-interference to shield itself from accountability China is misusing the language of sovereignty to justify colonization This distortion of international norms must be challenged Addressing the Uyghur genocide requires a shift in global thinking. First, East Turkistan must be recognized as an occupied country, with its people’s right to external self-determination affirmed under international law the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other legal instruments affirm the right of all peoples to determine their political status Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples have never chosen to be part of China; their subjugation has been enforced through military occupation and a campaign of cultural and national erasure—not integration or coexistence the genocide must be understood as part of a broader colonial project This includes recognizing mass enslavement and physical and cultural erasure as fundamental tools of colonial domination Efforts to address these violations must be paired with political actions to end China’s illegal occupation of East Turkistan the voices of East Turkistani institutions and leaders in exile must be included in international discussions about the future of the nation along with rights groups and diaspora communities Their perspectives are essential to any serious solution Finally, international legal mechanisms must be pursued with urgency. This includes supporting East Turkistan’s case at the International Criminal Court and filing additional cases at the International Court of Justice sanctioning Chinese officials and entities involved in the genocide and supporting investigations under universal jurisdiction laws in national courts The failure of the international community to stop the genocide in East Turkistan is not merely a failure of will—it is a failure of principle and international institutions continue to treat this as an “internal issue” for China Only by reframing this as a crisis of occupation and national survival can the path to justice become clear Salih Hudayar is a Uyghur American based in Washington serving as the Foreign Minister of the East Turkistan Government in Exile He is also the leader of the East Turkistan National Movement and has been a prominent voice for the rights and self-determination of the East Turkistani people Copyright © — E-International Relations Chinese State Surveillance of the Uyghur Diaspora and Misuse of Travel to Occupied East Turkistan Subtitle: Protecting the Uyghur Diaspora from Surveillance and Manipulation by Chinese State Actors Issued by Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign issues this urgent community advisory to raise awareness and protect the safety and cohesion of the global Uyghur diaspora in the face of ongoing transnational repression by Chinese state actors and systematic repression in Chinese-occupied East Turkistan there is no legitimate reason for a politically active Uyghur—particularly one who has sought asylum and citizenship in a democratic country—to return to the region unless it is for verified journalistic or human rights investigation purposes should be regarded as collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) China does not permit political dissenters to move freely Uyghurs are imprisoned for the mere act of having relatives abroad or for using messaging apps like WhatsApp any individual who claims to oppose China publicly but still travels freely to East Turkistan is doing so with the regime’s permission These individuals are operating under the CCP’s direction They are not victims—they are state operatives Uyghurs who travel under these circumstances are believed to be: Their actions endanger our entire movement and facilitate the Chinese government’s ongoing attempts to infiltrate The vast majority of Uyghurs in the diaspora are unable to speak to their families—let alone visit them—due to the extreme risks involved and children forced into state-run assimilation centers any Uyghur who chooses to travel to East Turkistan under these circumstances betrays the very people they claim to stand for If you are aware of individuals who are traveling to East Turkistan under questionable circumstances—especially those presenting themselves as activists while doing so—report them to your national security and intelligence services contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) notify the appropriate security authorities and the integrity of the Uyghur movement rely on collective vigilance or those who exploit our cause for personal gain Travel to Occupied East Turkistan under Chinese Communist Party rule—absent a clear human rights or investigative mission—undermines our shared struggle In the face of genocide and mass surveillance such actions are not acts of neutrality; they are complicit in erasing the truth The Save Uyghur Campaign is an initiative of Justice For All dedicated to ending the genocide and persecution of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in Chinese-occupied East Turkistan The campaign is led and informed by the Uyghur Shurah ensuring that all advocacy reflects the voice and lived experience of the Uyghur people themselves Save Uyghur works to mobilize international support 2025 For Immediate Release Contact: Hena Zuberi hena@justiceforall.org (202) 922-5878… Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign commends the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom… Make one phone call or send one email today Take Action Previous Years United Nations In The Media All Resources Press Releases Statements Faith Coalition Burma Task Force Save Uyghur Save India Free Kashmir Bosnia Task Force Privacy Policy Genocide against Muslims is escalating across the world We’re responding on all fronts — from  international courts to Congress the United Nations — but we need your help to win Turkey’s Ministry of National Education has unveiled significant changes to its history curriculum replacing the phrase “Central Asia” with “Turkestan.” Experts say this shift reinforces national identity and instills stronger patriotism in future generations President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the importance of the unity of the Turkic world: “We will work shoulder to shoulder to make the coming period the era of the Turks by extending our vision of the ‘Turkish Century’ to the Organization of Turkic States.” Professor Ahmet Taşagıl explained the historical meaning of the term Turkestan to TRT Haber has been used since the earliest periods of history the concept of Central Asia was introduced and spread instead of the name Turkestan,” he mentions Associate Professor Ramin Sadık commented on the decision of the Ministry of Education for TRT Haber “Our appeal to the concept of Turkestan and its inclusion in textbooks by the Ministry of National Education is a very correct decision Both Turkey and Turkestan mean a region where the Turks predominantly live,” Sadık said The expert notes that during efforts to create a shared history, geography, literature, maps, and alphabet for the Turkic world the Ministry of National Education’s decision to use “Turkestan” in textbooks He believes this change is a crucial start and a valuable contribution to Turkey Experts say the change is part of a broader strategy to strengthen ties in the Turkic world This issue is preventing our website from loading properly. 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LOGIN Downloadable PDFs are a benefit of an FP subscription This article is an Insider exclusive Contact us at [email protected] to learn about upgrade options unlocking the ability to gift this article DAMASCUS—On a recent Friday afternoon at the Umayyad Mosque in Syria’s capital Uyghur fighters joined thousands of other worshippers for weekly prayers as just another group of rebels in uniform Since the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad Uyghurs have become increasingly visible around Damascus but their future in the country is tenuous and could prove an obstacle for a new government in Syria seeking to assure global powers that it can keep foreign fighters from threatening those beyond its borders thousands of Uyghurs made their way to Syria from China via Turkey Uyghur leaders in Syria say their community numbers around 15,000 Most live in the rebel-held city of Idlib or in enclaves near the city of Jisr al-Shughur The “Turkistanis,” as many Syrians refer to them have opened schools and operate gas stations and restaurants which some of their Syrian neighbors have developed a taste for as well and hundreds are enrolled in Idlib University where the interim government has announced they The interim Syrian government has included them in its official military structure as well a nod to the role their fighters played in toppling Assad—a war that Uyghur leaders say cost around 1,100 Uyghur lives hundreds of military commanders dressed in uniform assembled to hear Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa give his first speech since toppling Assad and among them was Abdulaziz Davud Hudaberdi an ethnic Uyghur from a village near Aksu in China Hudaberdi came to Syria in 2012 and leads the local branch of the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) a group that most of the Syrian Uyghurs belong to he was instrumental in helping to end the Assad regime and was rewarded with a position as a brigadier general in the Syrian army along with two other Uyghurs who were appointed colonels There are about half a dozen foreign fighters who have been given such ranks in the new Syria The TIP’s presence in Syria could prove consequential for the future of the country as it looks to have international sanctions against it lifted which led the charge against Assad and has since been dissolved and folded into the new government is listed as a terrorist organization by the United Nations China has indicated the presence of groups such as the TIP continue to dissuade it from supporting any change in that designation run up against concerns about how it treats the Uyghur minority at home sparked by reports of mass incarceration and allegations of a state-led effort to erase the ethnic group’s religious and cultural distinctiveness China’s policy in Xinjiang—or East Turkistan as some Uyghurs refer to it—has garnered the ethnic minority sympathy among Western governments and emboldened some in the Uyghur diaspora to openly call for independence from Beijing the TIP is the first successful fighting force their cause has had “We are proud of them,” said Rukiye Turdush a Uyghur Canadian academic and former head of the East Turkistanian Federation of Canada She said the scenes of Syrian prisoners being freed from captivity gave her hope that Uyghurs kept in prisons and so-called reeducation camps in China by some estimates in the hundreds of thousands “Some people said when they opened the doors of Assad’s prisons they cried a lot because they felt like they were opening Chinese prisons,” Turdush said Like many of the Uyghurs who ended up in Syria Hudaberdi spent years looking for a place to settle outside China The 48-year-old was in and out of prison in China through the late 1990s and 2000s he obtained a fake passport and made his way to Malaysia Hudaberdi traveled to Iran and then Afghanistan where he linked up with fledgling Uyghur militant groups that struggled to maintain a presence amid U.S drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistani military operations across the border in Waziristan but the group was diminished in numbers to the point that the United States delisted it as a terrorist organization in 2020 saying that “there has been no credible evidence that ETIM continues to exist.” Beijing insists the TIP is just the ETIM operating under a different name and that it continues to be affiliated with al Qaeda attributing a string of incidents in China—from assassinations of pro-government imams to knife attacks—to the group as well as the 2016 suicide bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek a professor at George Washington University who studies Uyghur populations says none of these attacks are “clearly attributed” to either the TIP or ETIM The TIP spokesperson in Syria affirmed that the group was not responsible for these attacks The spokesperson added that the TIP has no aspirations to launch international terrorist campaigns as these are counterproductive to the group’s long-term mission to garner global political support and that it no longer has ties to al Qaeda it was at a time when a stream of Uyghur migrants were making their way there thousands of young men crossed into rebel-held Syria This was part of a movement that was encouraged in part by the tacit approval of the Turkish government who conducted extensive interviews with the migrants Turkey was trying to walk a fine line: It already hosted millions of Syrian refugees but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also sought to maintain public support for the Uyghur cause to keep nationalists onside “A lot of the people who ended up [in Syria] were people who basically had left China to go to Turkey,” Roberts said potentially some of them with Turkish government approval that there you have to work with this group you’ll be able to someday go back and fight for your homeland The TIP in Syria says its members were drawn to the country looking for a place to settle but that many joined the fight against Assad because it reminded them of tactics deployed against them in China: large-scale spying and discrimination based on ethnic and religious beliefs “The Uyghurs saw parallels between the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad and that of the Chinese Communist Party,” the TIP spokesperson said TIP fighters went on to take part in rebel campaigns in Jisr al-Shughur Hudaberdi lost family members to regime airstrikes he graduated from HTS’s military academy in Idlib he led fighters participating in the blitz that saw the rebels eventually reach Damascus The chance of the TIP still having links to global jihadi groups has kept some Uyghur diaspora leaders from expressing support for it Many Uyghur diaspora groups in the West “have shied away from saying the group even exists claiming [the TIP] is a conspiracy by China to discredit them globally.” Meanwhile others take the position that “we should be proud to have overthrown Assad and this shows if we ever did have a state The future of the TIP in Syria will depend on what kinds of concessions the new government is forced to make to outside powers Hudaberdi and the thousands of Uyghur fighters who make up the TIP are now part of the Syrian military But they still do not have Syrian citizenship has said foreign fighters were an integral part of the rebel victory and has mused that providing them with citizenship was something worth looking at His government has also attempted to assure others that it no longer has global jihadi ambitions And while HTS made far more headway than the Taliban have since taking power in Afghanistan there may be important lessons from that conflict for Syria which monitors jihadi activity in the region “The HTS takeover of Syria is the second case of a jihadist militant group that has taken control of a full country in this century,” Firdous said He questioned whether the TIP’s members have been organically integrated into Syria or simply incorporated on paper to assuage global concerns about their presence the Taliban have paid foreign fighters to put aside their global jihadi aspirations including the TIP in its military chain of command For China, a militant Uyghur presence in neighboring Afghanistan was a bigger threat than one in Syria. That is partly why Beijing has been keen to court the Taliban hoping to extract assurances that jihadis won’t launch attacks from the country and to some degree it has succeeded: In the past two decades only a handful of attacks on China or Chinese interests abroad have been linked—and even then Whether that same success is repeated in Syria remains to be seen Umar Farooq is a journalist based in Istanbul. 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Unlock powerful intelligence for your team. systematic persecution of Uyghur Muslims in East Turkistan also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region by the CCP The 2025 report underscores that religious freedom conditions under General Secretary Xi Jinping remain among the most dire globally China persists in enforcing its “sinicization of religion” policy demanding total allegiance of religious groups to the CCP The campaign against Uyghur Muslims is particularly egregious where updated regulations have heightened restrictions under the guise of sinicization transnational repression and disinformation campaigns are utilized extensively to suffocate dissent and silence Uyghur communities inside and outside China imprisoned for so-called “religious extremism,” is a testament to the brutality wielded against those who practice their faith authentically USCIRF’s previous recommendations have continuously highlighted the egregious nature of China’s religious repression government to impose sanctions and coordinate with international allies to address these abuses with ongoing violations exposing millions to human rights abuses and threatening regional stability by failing to hold CCP officials accountable Overlooking these severe abuses undermines global human rights standards and the moral standing of democratic nations that champion freedom and justice address these atrocities head-on and safeguard the sanctity of religious freedom for the Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in East Turkistan Community Advisory  Chinese State Surveillance of the Uyghur Diaspora and Misuse of Travel to Occupied… Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign Calls for Renewed Advocacy on the 75th Anniversary of China’s Invasion of East Turkistan DC: Today marks a solemn occasion as the world observes the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) For millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples the People’s Liberation Army invaded East Turkistan culminating in the overthrow of the East Turkistan Republic by December of that year the Chinese government forcibly established the so-called ‘Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.’ As the world marks China’s National Day the Save Uyghur Campaign calls for renewed global advocacy to address the oppression that has defined East Turkistan’s recent history “China’s National Day starkly contrasts with the suffering endured by the Uyghur people,” said Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid “What is celebrated in China as a national milestone is remembered by the Uyghurs as the start of decades of brutal occupation we are reminded of the ongoing Uyghur genocide Let this anniversary not be a moment of reflection emphasized the importance of international solidarity: “Seventy-five years of occupation have led to unimaginable suffering—millions displaced What should have been a day of national celebration is instead a day of mourning for millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples The global community must unite to end this genocide and restore the Uyghur people’s dignity.” is part of a longer history of cultural erasure The Save Uyghur Campaign urges the world to take meaningful action to stop these human rights abuses and to hold China accountable for its actions the Save Uyghur Campaign calls for urgent global action Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign calls on the international community to stand with East Turkistan and reject China’s tyranny The time for decisive global action is now Oct 23: Fifteen countries raised concerns over China’s human rights abuses in Tibet and East Turkistan during a session at the United Nations General Assembly’s human rights committee on Tuesday in New York City Australian UN Ambassador James Larsen called on China to honor its international human rights commitments and implement UN recommendations stating “We urge China to uphold the international human-rights obligations that it has voluntarily assumed This includes releasing all individuals arbitrarily detained in both East Turkestan and Tibet and urgently clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing family members.” Ambassador Larsen also called for the need for transparency in China Stating,: “Transparency and openness are key to allaying concerns We call on China to allow unfettered and meaningful access to East Turkestan and Tibet for independent observers A United Nations report from February 2023 stated that around one million Tibetan children in Tibet were being impacted by Chinese policies aimed at assimilating them culturally and linguistically through a residential school system report had concluded that China’s detention of Uyghurs and other Muslim groups in East Turkestan (Ch Xinjiang) might constitute crimes against humanity Larsen further criticized China’s response to the U.N.’s concerns China had rejected the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ findings as “illegal and void” during its Universal Periodic Review adoption in July including restrictions on political expression China’s representative at the UN Fu Cong rejected these accusations characterizing them as an attempt to “weaponize” human rights issues for political confrontation The Australian Ambassador spoke on behalf of Australia Bitter Winter A magazine on religious liberty and human rights 09/05/2024Abdulhakim Idris A+ | A- These children are being forcibly assimilated into Han Chinese culture through a vast network of state-run boarding schools This essay delves into how these institutions serve as tools of cultural genocide stripping Uyghur children of their language In 2014, this simmering tension took a drastic turn. Under the guise of combating “religious extremism,” the People’s Republic of China (PRC) initiated an intensified crackdown in East Turkistan was subjected to an increasingly pervasive and intrusive surveillance system was in reality a thinly veiled attempt to control and assimilate the Uyghur population In this calculated strategy of cultural genocide the Chinese state has weaponized education The Chinese government’s assimilation process starts with detaining parents under arbitrary claims placing them in detainment camps and leaving children defenseless and vulnerable or undergoing re-education or “training,” are classified into a special needs category which typically means placement in orphanages or boarding schools This abhorrent practice serves as a cornerstone of China’s campaign to erase Uyghur cultural identity and enforce a homogeneous Han Chinese ideology the Chinese government has implemented a series of draconian measures aimed at eradicating Uyghur culture The United States and several other countries have labeled these actions as genocide while the United Nations has indicated they can amount to crimes against humanity As the Chinese government detains Uyghur adults, their children are sent to state-run boarding schools. These institutions are designed to sever the children from their cultural roots and indoctrinate them into Han Chinese culture. According to reports, more than half a million Uyghur children have been placed in these schools where they are taught to speak Mandarin exclusively and are subjected to a curriculum that glorifies the Chinese state while denigrating their native culture Aysu and Lütfullah Kuchar were forced to spent nearly twenty months in a state boarding school They were forcibly separated from their family and subjected to physical and emotional abuse and they were frequently beaten and locked in dark rooms as punishment “That was the heaviest moment in my life Standing in front of my two Chinese-speaking children I felt as if they had killed me,” their father lamented By the time they were able to return to their parents to Türkiye in December 2019 they had become malnourished and traumatized a Uyghur woman who survived the concentration camps tearfully recounted the torture she endured Her children were taken from her and placed in a boarding school When she was finally allowed to reconnect with them she found that one of her children had died due to an operation performed without her consent NPR published the Kuchars’ story and was able to identify the school Lütfullah was sent to It had been previously called the Urumqi Folk Art School and is located in the densely populated predominantly Uyghur neighborhood of Sandunbei in the region’s capital The school is among at least 1,300 boarding schools set up across the Uyghur region according to the Ministry for Education documents XUAR local governments have been scrubbing their websites of all references to the boarding schools but an official education report from 2017—the year before the Kuchar children were sent to the school—says nearly half a million children had already been enrolled by the start of that year The Kuchar children after they had been reunited with their father in Türkiye. Source: National Public Radio photo by Nicole Tung.In these boarding schools the use of the Uyghur language is strictly prohibited Classroom instruction is conducted almost exclusively in Mandarin and teachers can be punished for using Uyghur outside specific language classes This policy aims to erode the children’s fluency in their native language thereby severing their connection to their cultural and religious identities Reports have documented numerous instances of physical and emotional abuse in these schools and forced to hold stress positions for extended periods These punitive measures are designed to break the children’s spirit and make them more pliable to assimilation efforts This policy not only affects the current generation but also ensures that future generations will grow up devoid of their cultural heritage The psychological toll on these children is immense Separated from their families and subjected to constant abuse and indoctrination many of these children suffer from severe trauma They grow up feeling alienated from their cultural roots and are often unable to communicate with their parents and grandparents The boarding schools in East Turkistan are not merely educational institutions; they are tools of cultural genocide By forcibly assimilating Uyghur children into Han Chinese culture the Chinese government aims to erase the Uyghur identity from the face of the earth and Mihrigul are harrowing reminders of the human cost of this genocidal campaign it is imperative to continue documenting these atrocities and advocating for the rights of the Uyghur people These sources also reported that students are only allowed to see family members once every two weeks and that they are forbidden from speaking the Uyghur language They stressed the discriminatory nature of the policy and the violation of minorities’ right to an education without discrimination The experts received information about large-scale removal of children including very young children whose parents are in exile or “interned”/detained These children are treated as “orphans” by State authorities and placed in full-time boarding schools or orphanages where the language used is almost exclusively Mandarin “Uyghur and other minority children in highly regulated and controlled boarding institutions may have little interaction with their parents extended family or communities for much of their youth,” the experts said “This will inevitably lead to a loss of connection with their families and communities and undermine their ties to their cultural religious and linguistic identities,” they added Experts note this is part of Chinese authorities’ efforts to mold minority children into speaking and acting like the country’s dominant Han ethnic group “This ideological impulse of trying to assimilate non-Han people corresponded with this punitive approach of putting adults in camps, and therefore lots of young children ended up in boarding kindergartens and boarding schools or orphanages,” says James Millward a professor at Georgetown University who studies Chinese and Central Asian history “It really is an effort to try to make everyone Chinese and see themselves as Chinese and have a single cultural background.” China claims it is expanding the number of boarding schools allegedly to improve educational access, especially in remote rural communities. But Uyghur families say such schools are also institutions where children with both parents detained or imprisoned are sent, against family wishes. “My relatives would rather take care of the children themselves, but they are forced to send the kids to boarding schools,” says Mukerrem Mahmud, a Uyghur student in Türkiye. Abdulhakim Idris was born in Hotan city in East Turkestan (Ch He was educated in Islamic religious studies and Arabic language in underground Islamic schools in Hotan before he left his hometown in 1986 to study Islam in Egypt at Al-Azhar University Germany in 1991 as one of the first Uyghurs to seek asylum in Europe He is is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Uyghur Studies Idris and his wife Rushan Abbas founded the non-profit organization Campaign for Uyghurs He currently lives in Northern Virginia with his family The court decision is the culmination of almost forty years of harassment of the religious movement by politically motivated and greedy lawyers Un convegno in una prestigiosa sede istituzionale ha visto il confronto fra accademici e personalità religiose museum directors are told they should focus on documenting that “border regions” such as Tibet and Xinjiang were always Chinese President Nixon’s visit to China in 1972 was the beginning of the end for Hong Kong as an oasis in China’s red desert CESNURVia Confienza 1910121 TorinoItalyinfo@bitterwinter.org Copyright © 2025 · Bitter Winter · PRIVACY POLICY· COOKIE POLICY against the Uyghur Muslims and other Turkic peoples This scripted visit seems to have been orchestrated by the Chinese government to hide the ongoing atrocities committed by the Chinese regime under the guise of combating extremism constituting one of the most severe humanitarian crises of our time representing 26 member states alongside the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission reportedly engaged in discussions with Chinese officials including members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) centering on enhancing diplomatic relations and purported undertakings in favor of the Muslim community in China Observers noted a concerning focus on cooperation rather than asking the hard and critical questions and calling for accountability regarding the widespread allegations of genocidal acts committed against Uyghur Muslims expressed profound disappointment: “This visit is not just a diplomatic courtesy but an unforgivable betrayal of millions who are suffering under oppressive regimes By failing to address the egregious human rights violations the OIC delegation has inadvertently aligned itself with policies intended to annihilate a population’s cultural and religious identity It’s essential that the OIC use its influence to challenge has prioritized meaningless dialogues over the cries of their Uyghur brothers and sisters The history books will remember this as a moment when needed courage was shelved for comfort and appeasement Our call to action is dire and immediate: stop legitimizing and start advocating for the voiceless and unjustly imprisoned.” Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign urgently calls on all member states of the OIC and the international community to acknowledge these atrocities push for unrestricted access to the region by independent observers and condemn the abject human rights abuses firmly and unequivocally Media outlets in Turkic-speaking countries say Turkiye has decided to replace term “Central Asia” with “Turkestan” in its history curriculum Turkiey’s Ministry of National Education has reportedly unveiled significant changes to its history curriculum replacing the phrase “Central Asia” with “Turkestan.” News.Az notes that experts believe that a move is designed to strengthen national identity and patriotism among future generations Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the importance of Turkic unity stating: "We will work hand in hand to make the coming era the era of the Turks extending our vision of the 'Turkish Century' to the Organization of Turkic States." News.Az's analytical portal sought to delve deeper into the political and economic factors behind this decision as well as gauge reactions from global powers  Turkish political scientist and analyst Engin Ozer Head of the Department of Political Science at Kars Kafkas University shed light on the historical and strategic significance of this shift Ozer reportedly noted that the term "Turkestan" was traditionally used in Turkiye until the Russian Revolution: "The term refers to the region now known as Central Asia  Names such as Uzbekistan were largely introduced during the Soviet era  Even during the Russian Empire's time  The term 'Central Asia' was coined by English Orientalists much like 'Near East' or 'Middle East,' which have also been adopted in Turkiye This shift in terminology weakened Türkiye’s ties with the region over time." Elnur Hasan Mikail reportedly reiterated the historical significance of the term: "The region now known as Central Asia dating back to the time of Tamerlane and even earlier  After the Russian Empire annexed the region the name 'Central Asia' was introduced." The Times of Central Asia reports that Professor Ahmet Taşagıl explained the historical meaning of the term Turkestan to TRT Haber meaning ‘homeland of the Turks’  In the second half of the 19th century the concept of Central Asia was introduced and spread instead of the name Turkestan,” he mentions Daryo.uz says experts view this change as a step toward reclaiming historical terms that reflect the Turkic heritage and reinforcing cultural and historical ties across the Turkic-speaking countries.  How сan water conservation and profit go hand in hand in Tajikistan? 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Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences branding it a “terrorist organisation”.The Uyghurs a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority concentrated in China’s Xinjiang region have drawn global attention due to reports of severe human rights abuses Beijing initiated a campaign under President Xi Jinping aimed at eradicating separatism and terrorism in Xinjiang this effort has been widely condemned internationally with the United Nations identifying it as constituting “crimes against humanity" Allegations suggest that China has used the pretext of combating extremism to justify a systematic crackdown on Uyghurs which some nations and organisations have labelled as genocide Chinese authorities have linked Uyghur activism to groups like the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) This has led to widespread violations of human rights further tarnishing China’s global reputation The East Turkestan Movement (ETM) emerged in the late 1990s as a response to decades of systemic oppression faced by the Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) which was annexed by China following its occupation in 1949 Despite being officially recognised as one of China’s ethnic minorities the Uyghurs were subjected to aggressive assimilation policies that sought to undermine their cultural distinctiveness through violent suppression founded by Turkic-speaking Uyghur separatists represents a nationalist aspiration to establish an independent state of East Turkestan This envisioned state would encompass regions spanning Kazakhstan providing Uyghurs with a sovereign territory where they could freely preserve their cultural identity without interference from Communist China The ETM combines religious and ethnic nationalism as its ideological foundation reflecting resistance against China’s long-standing practices of cultural erasure The movement has involved not only mobilisation efforts but also armed resistance within Xinjiang as part of its broader struggle for self-determination China has responded forcefully to the East Turkestan Movement (ETM) branding it a “terrorist organisation" with alleged connections to transnational groups such as al-Qaeda and the Taliban which Beijing claims aim to undermine China’s territorial integrity This characterisation is rooted in Islamophobia and mirrors the post-9/11 environment in the West where suspicion of Muslims intensified following the attacks To delegitimise ETM’s separatist ambitions China labelled it as the “most direct and realistic security threat" to its national stability Beijing asserted that ETM had received financial and military support from al-Qaeda to carry out militant operations within China Leveraging the United States’ heightened security concerns after 9/11 China successfully persuaded Washington to designate ETM as a terrorist organisation was based largely on Chinese claims and overlooked the possibility that Beijing was exploiting global counterterrorism efforts to discredit what many view as a legitimate liberation movement In addition to the East Turkestan Movement’s (ETM) armed resistance Uyghur exiles and activists who fled Xinjiang established the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile (ETGE) Founded in 2004 and structured as a democratic parliamentary body the ETGE shares the ETM’s goal of achieving self-determination for Uyghurs through the creation of an independent East Turkistan the ETGE has become a prominent global advocate for Uyghur rights documenting human rights abuses in Xinjiang and raising international awareness of China’s systemic oppression It has sought to hold China accountable on international platforms aiming to end atrocities such as forced labour and mass detentions the Chinese government has labelled the ETGE a terrorist organisation and exerted diplomatic pressure on countries that support it or criticise China’s treatment of Uyghurs the ETGE continues to play a critical role in exposing human rights violations including the use of Uyghur forced labour in global supply chains which implicates products from major international industries The East Turkestan Movement’s (ETM) resistance extends beyond Xinjiang encompassing Central Asian states that host Uyghur exiles fleeing Chinese persecution where their cause has gained substantial regional sympathy Since launching the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) a decade ago to advance its global hegemony China has prioritised Central Asia as strategically vital Through coercive diplomacy and economic incentives Beijing has sought to consolidate influence over Central Asian governments and dismantle nationalist aspirations among diaspora communities The East Turkistan Government-in-Exile (ETGE) has consistently condemned regional states perceived as aligning with Chinese policies framing such cooperation as enabling Beijing’s expansionism the ETGE denounced the China-Central Asia Summit arguing it exemplified China’s long-term strategy to erode Central Asian sovereignty through incremental geopolitical dominance Central Asia has emerged as a focal point in global mineral competition following Kazakhstan’s discovery of the world’s largest rare earth deposits Recent Sino-Kazakh agreements on critical mineral extraction have raised concerns regarding Astana’s deepening economic dependency and diminishing autonomy over strategic resource management This development underscores broader anxieties about China leveraging resource partnerships to entrench influence under BRI frameworks potentially marginalising local agency in Central Asia China’s expanding presence in Central Asia poses a significant risk to the sovereignty of regional states while potentially depleting their economic resources Beijing employs coercive tactics to influence Central Asian governments aiming to suppress Uyghur exiles and dismantle separatist movements that have found refuge in the region This growing influence is closely tied to China’s geopolitical ambitions particularly through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which strategically integrate Central Asia into Beijing’s broader plans for global dominance countering China’s manoeuvres in Central Asia is crucial to sustaining its resistance and advancing its goal of Uyghur liberation The movement faces significant challenges as China leverages its economic power and political influence to undermine Uyghur nationalist aspirations and silence dissent Combating these tactics becomes essential for preserving the Uyghur cause and ensuring that their aspirations for self-determination remain alive amidst China’s increasing geopolitical encroachments in the region Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views Subscribe!function(m,a,i,l,s,t,e,r){m[s]=m[s]||(function(){t=a.createElement(i);r=a.getElementsByTagName(i)[0];t.async=1;t.src=l;r.parentNode.insertBefore(t,r);return !0}())}(window,document,'script','https://tibet.net/wp-content/plugins/mailster/assets/js/button.min.js','MailsterSubscribe'); Australia’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations delivers a joint statement on human rights abuses in Tibet and East Turkistan delivered a joint statement on behalf of a coalition of 15 countries expressing serious concern over grave human rights violations in East Turkistan and Tibet The statement was presented during the general discussion on human rights at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee alongside 14 other countries including Canada Ambassador Larsen highlighted grave concerns based on evidence gathered by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and other UN bodies These findings point to large-scale arbitrary detention and systemic repression of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in East Turkistan described these violations as potentially amounting to crimes against humanity The statement also underscored growing concerns over human rights abuses in Tibet United Nations human rights mechanisms have detailed arbitrary detentions for the peaceful expression of political views the forced separation of children from families in boarding schools educational and religious rights and freedom in Tibet Ambassador Larsen noted that despite repeated international calls for transparency China has dismissed these concerns and labeled the OHCHR’s assessment as “illegal and void” during its Universal Periodic Review adoption in July 2024 China has yet to undertake a comprehensive human rights review of its policies in Xinjiang with its problematic legal framework on national security and counterterrorism remaining unchanged according to an OHCHR statement from August 2024 The 15 nations called on China to uphold its international human rights obligations and fully implement the recommendations from the OHCHR and other UN mechanisms These include the immediate release of individuals arbitrarily detained in both East Turkistan and Tibet and full transparency regarding the fate of missing persons the countries urged China to allow independent observers unfettered access to assess the human rights situation in these regions Ambassador Larsen emphasised that while no country has a perfect human rights record all states must be held accountable to international standards The coalition urged collective global responsibility in protecting and promoting human rights worldwide The joint statement reflects ongoing international pressure on China to address allegations of human rights violations in its territories marking a significant moment in global diplomacy at the UN -Report file by DIIR staff (Department of Information and International Relations) Australia Leads Joint UN Statement on Human Rights Abuses in Tibet and East Turkistan His Holiness the Dalai Lama Offers Congratulations to Anthony Albanese on His Re-election as Prime Minister of Australia Sikyong Meets Current and Former Chairs of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee to Discuss Appointment of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issue His Holiness the Dalai Lama Congratulates Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on His Party’s General Election Victory Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel offers condolence over the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis Tibet at a Glance Tibetan National Flag Global Tibet Movement Constitution Leadership Judiciary Legislature Executive Election Commission Public Service Commission Auditor General Religion and Culture Home Finance Education Security Information & International Relations Health Issues Facing Tibet Sino Tibetan Dialogue Middle Way Approach Dolgyal-Shugden © Central Tibetan Administration • Privacy Policy • Terms of Service Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news You are receiving this pop-up because this is the first time you are visiting our site You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker) we are relying on revenues from our banners So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.Thanks The Turkestan region is the leading center of greenhouse farming in Kazakhstan home to 70% of the country's total greenhouse area These facilities play a crucial role in supplying vegetables and flowers to both local and northern regions of the country One of the standout greenhouse farms is Agro Tur This modern agricultural complex specializes in growing vegetable seedlings such as tomatoes as well as flowers like roses and chrysanthemums valued at 1.2 billion tenge (€2.4 million) was launched in 2019 and has quickly become a key supplier in the region Agro Tur can grow 3 million seedlings at a time producing 12 million seedlings and 310 tons of vegetables annually The greenhouse complex is equipped with advanced Dutch technology ensuring automated planting and crop management One hectare is specifically outfitted with high-tech systems for seedling cultivation while the sowing equipment was imported from Italy Agro Tur's production is distributed across the Turkestan region and northern Kazakhstan helping meet the country's demand for fresh produce Source: kapital.kz Frontpage photo: © Péter Gudella | Dreamstime FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 HortiDaily.com have started harvesting the first batch of cabbage The vegetables have ripened and are now being shipped to major cities across the country according to the regional administration's press service a resident of Zholbassy village in the Birtilek rural district planted cabbage on two hectares and is currently harvesting 38 tons He plans to collect another 100 tons in February Seedlings planted under light cover took root quickly Each cabbage head weighs up to four kilograms we can begin a second crop in April or May the higher the price," Tazhibaev explained Local farms have cultivated about 1,000 hectares taking advantage of Kazakhstan's climate to harvest up to three times per season—benefiting both the agricultural sector and farmers 2,400 hectares of cabbage were planted in Keles Source: eldala.kz Frontpage photo: © Joseph Gough | Dreamstime July 18: The United States State Department is taking action to impose visa restrictions on Chinese officials involved in human rights violations in Tibet and East Turkistan In a statement issued on Friday the United States State Department spokesperson stated “The United States continues to promote accountability in the defence of human rights in China.  Today, the State Department is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on People’s Republic of China (PRC) officials for their involvement in the repression of marginalized religious and ethnic communities.    The PRC has not lived up to its commitments to respect and protect human rights as demonstrated by the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang the erosion of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, persistent human rights abuses in Tibet and transnational repression around the world We call on the PRC to abide by the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to accept the many recommendations made this year during the Universal Periodic Review of its human rights record including unconditionally releasing PRC nationals it has arbitrarily and unjustly detained” On June 11, 2024, the UN released the Chinese government’s response to the recommendations from the latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) conducted in January 2024 revealing that China would accept 290 out of 428 recommendations these accepted recommendations exclude addressing the concerns raised by UN member states regarding severe human rights abuses in Tibet and East Turkistan and the persecution of human rights defenders and journalists The Chinese government’s approach to the UPR review consistent with its tactics in previous reviews in 2009 involved submitting misleading information and preventing domestic civil society groups from contributing to the state report or the review process China influenced several states to pose benign questions This strategy resulted in many weak recommendations that the Chinese government could easily accept thus creating a facade of compliance while avoiding substantial reforms based on the growing body of evidence of abuses compiled by NGOs treaty bodies and the UN Human Rights Office You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Cakan described how Chinese authorities renamed the region "Xinjiang" -- meaning "New Territory" -- as part of a broader colonial effort to erase the region's identity China detains Tibetan man after exposing service denial Pakistani relationship well-known to world": Former Indian envoy to UN slams China for backing Pakistan on Pahalgam attack inquiry India's human development continues to make progress China sees surge in holiday travel and spending but netizens question official data amid economic strains Taiwan reports increased Chinese military activity near its territory copyrights © aninews.in | All rights Reserved We publish a digest of the most interesting events that will start selling tickets which is operated by Air Marakanda is continuing its drive to boost connectivity to and from southeastern Uzbekistan The airport has announced that it is to resume regular air transport links to Turkistan in Kazakhstan courtesy of Qazaq Air The Kazakh airline will resume a regular flight schedule between the two cities on 1 May The route also provides passengers with convenient connections to Astana with onward connecting flights from Turkistan for the capital of Kazakhstan “The resumption of services between Samarkand and Turkistan provides an important link between two spiritual and historical centres,” said Ulugbek Shamsikulov “This route also strengthens the commercial and business links between Uzebekistan and Kazakhstan.” Samarkand has already seen a boost to its destination network this year with services to Baku and Krasnoyarsk added to its network earlier this month via Azerbaijan Airlines Ural Airlines is also introducing direct flights to Krasnoyarsk later this year “Overseas visitors to Samarkand can enjoy the modern tourism infrastructure that has been carefully curated to help showcase the historic treasures that are housed in one of the world’s oldest cities,” added Shamsikulov “An increasing number of tourists are recognising the treasures in Samarkand and our neighbouring areas of Urumqi locations that offers such rich historical heritage,” he concluded and website in this browser for the next time I comment a farm situated in Kasymbek Datka village is marking its second banana harvest within the year gained attention after GenGroup Qazaqstan's $3.7 million investment to establish a banana farm extends over five hectares and employs 15 locals The farm is set to produce between 400 to 500 tons of bananas by the end of the year following a first harvest in March that yielded 385 tons we are supplying bananas only to Almaty and Shymkent covering just 5% of demand in these cities Ecuador remains Kazakhstan's main supplier of bananas their bananas are 100 tenge ($0.20) more expensive per kilogram than ours We sell bananas for 600 to 650 tenge ($1.14 to $1.23) per kilogram," Islam Aliyev managing director of GenGroup Qazaqstan's banana plantation The farm utilizes cultivation techniques from Turkish agricultural experts mirroring successful banana plantations in Alanya After soil and water analyses indicated a nutrient deficiency the decision was made to enrich the soil with humus Turkish and Azerbaijani contractors designed the project which now continues under the guidance of Turkish specialist Bayik Davut Davut emphasizes the importance of maintaining temperatures above 15°C and humidity above 80% for banana cultivation The greenhouse employs a diverse team including agricultural scientists plans to expand over the next three years with the addition of three more greenhouses This expansion aims to diversify production to include not only bananas but also mangoes With a projected investment of $19 million GenGroup Qazaqstan anticipates recouping its initial outlay within five years Source: Kursive FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 FreshPlaza.com 150,000 tons of vegetables were harvested from greenhouses within the first nine months of this year fulfilling 42% of the country's demand during the off-season with locally produced goods according to the press service of the regional governor's office as part of the industrial greenhouse development three projects covering an area of 602 hectares are being implemented This expansion is expected to create 6,150 new jobs and increase the volume of produce harvested from greenhouses by 180,000 tons This increase will fully meet the country's demand for greenhouse produce during the off-season The total area of greenhouses in the Turkistan Region amounts to 1,640 hectares which represents 71% of the national total Source: eldala.kz Frontpage photo: © MartinBergsma | Dreamstime and institutions to take prompt and decisive measures China's expanding global espionage network under scrutiny