Ethnic Rights, Prosperity and Development in Xinjiang

This article intends to sketch an overview of state policies of China in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region. It argues that the situation of China has changed after 1949 with the change in politics. Chinese civilization has deep rooted in the ideas of Confucius which has liberal democratic tendency. The concept of Chinese modern development is pro-people development that aims to meet the basic needs of the common people. Development is for a better and safe life and it appeals to the best of many people. The CPC policy had broader implications for all minority groups, and many of the state policies are a continuation of earlier policies. China’s Muslims are clearly in the threshold in terms of self-preservation and Islamic identity. Uyghur nationalism in Xinjiang was influenced by Muslims of Central Asia, especially Iranian Muslim political ideology. In contemporary China, the growing consciousness of a distinct Uyghur identity should not be linked with political extremist movement –it distorts the political stability and development of the XUAR. China, now, is following its own path of sustainable development while learning from its own classical civilization.