On October 1, 2024, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) celebrated the 75th anniversary of its founding. It was on this very day in 1955 that the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) was established in China. Thus, next year, 2025, will mark the 70th anniversary of this historical event. It is important to note that this event was not a momentary act by the Communist Party of China (CPC), as prior to this, the central government and local party committees had conducted significant preparatory work.
Before the establishment of the PRC in 1949, Xinjiang was primarily an agrarian and raw materials-based region of China, with agriculture constituting the backbone of its economy, engaging 86% of the population (of which 75% were involved in farming and 11% in animal husbandry). However, the development of productive forces was hindered by feudal and servile relations in the region, which undoubtedly stifled its development. Therefore, without conducting agrarian reform, it would have been premature to establish autonomy. It was only after the agrarian reform was completed by 1953 that Beijing began to move toward establishing national autonomy. In April 1953, the CPC Central Committee issued two directives concerning national district autonomy in Xinjiang. One of these stated: “There are 13 local nationalities residing in Xinjiang; therefore, it is necessary to implement national district autonomy and subsequently considering the interests of other fraternal nationalities. Special attention should be given to the territories inhabited by these nationalities and their economic and political demands” (Chronicle of Important Events in the History of the CPC. Part II. Ürümqi: Xinjiang People’s Publishing House, 1993. pp. 91-92 / Citation: Xinjiang, Chinese Land: Past and Present. Ürümqi, 2006. p. 235). All national minorities were given the opportunity to utilize equal rights in the economic sphere, along with support from the Uyghur majority and the central government.
After extensive preparation and experimental work, the principle of “advancing cautiously and conducting active preparatory work” was adopted as the primary guideline for implementing the “national district autonomy of the PRC.” On September 12, 1955, during the 2nd session of the Standing Committee of the first convocation of the National People’s Congress (NPC), a proposal was introduced to “change the organizational structure of Xinjiang province and establish the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).” On September 30, 1955, the composition of the XUAR People’s Committee was elected during the 2nd session of the first convocation of the Xinjiang Provincial People’s Congress, and the old organizational structure of Xinjiang province was dissolved. The new government of the XUAR—the People’s Committee—was led by Uyghur Saiputdin Azizov. His three deputies were Gao Jinchun (Han), Iminov (Uyghur), and Patikhan Sugurbaev (Kazakh). The 37 members of the People’s Committee represented 11 nationalities in Xinjiang. On October 1, 1955, during a rally commemorating the sixth anniversary of the founding of the PRC, more than 60,000 people gathered in Ürümqi where Saiputdin Azizov announced the establishment of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Currently, Xinjiang plays a particularly significant role in developing cooperation between China and the new independent Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). This is not coincidental, as historically, Xinjiang is part of a unified civilizational complex that connects Central Asia with the cradle of Chinese civilization—the Great Chinese Plain. An important phase of this cultural bridge was the flourishing period of the Great Silk Road. Historical, cultural, and economic connections between peoples were clearly reflected along the caravan routes that stretched from the city of Xi’an (Chang’an) to the oasis cities of Central Asia (Osh, Taraz, Tashkent, Khojent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Merv).
Since the establishment of the XUAR within the PRC in 1955, despite considerable achievements up until the early 1980s, the region remained a “shadowy area” in the economic concepts of official Beijing. However, with the announcement of the “policy of reform and openness” and the construction of “socialism with Chinese characteristics,” the Chinese government began implementing radical economic changes in the region during the 1980s and 1990s. After three to four decades, these changes are showing unprecedented results. Today, Xinjiang is becoming a dynamic business center for China’s cooperation with post-Soviet Central Asian countries. This conclusion is crucial for understanding the role and policies of the Chinese leadership regarding the development of Xinjiang, its transformation into part of economic progress, and the establishment of effective connections with neighboring countries.
The XUAR is not only the largest administrative-territorial unit in China but also a region of strategic importance with rich natural resources. Nevertheless, Xinjiang is considered one of the most remote and relatively isolated regions from the center of China. In this regard, the Chinese government pays special attention to ensuring political and economic control over this region, as well as preserving the territorial integrity of the country. Thus, issues of social and economic development of the region, promoting ethnic unity and progress, and strengthening the concept of the “Chinese nation with a shared destiny” among the populace are at the forefront of official Beijing’s agenda. The central government’s measures aimed at stabilizing and coordinating the situation have turned the region into a barometer of stability, showcasing to the global community that “Chinese Xinjiang is a harmonious land” (Zhang Hanhui, PRC Ambassador to Russia).
Due to its geographical location, possessing a quarter of China’s land border, Xinjiang allows for the most extensive borders with other foreign states compared to other autonomous regions. This defines its important role in China’s geostrategic plans. Furthermore, the leadership of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is interested in better utilizing its geographical advantages and integrating into a new development model, as well as further expanding economic and trade cooperation with countries participating in the “Belt and Road” initiative. For example, on November 1, 2023, a ceremony was held in the administrative center of the region, Ürümqi, for the opening of the Xinjiang Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ), which became the first trading area in China’s northwestern border regions. Erkin Tuniya, chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region government, licensed three free trade zones in Ürümqi, Khorgos, and Kashgar. The total area of the new free trade zone is 180 square kilometers. According to E. Tuniya, Xinjiang will utilize its resources, geographical advantages, and industrial base to promote a high-quality free trade zone. The free trade zone is expected to significantly contribute to Xinjiang’s integration into a “dual circulation” model covering both domestic and international markets, serve the development goals of the Belt and Road initiative, and facilitate the creation of a “golden corridor” between Asia and Europe, while also laying an important foundation for expanding China’s openness to the west.
In September of this year, the author of these lines visited Kashgar city and witnessed the extensive work being done to integrate Kashgar (Kashi) and the overall district into economic cooperation with the outside world. The cross-border free trade zone (FTZ) in Kashgar is aimed at trade cooperation with neighboring countries (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan). In this regard, the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway route is expected to play a significant role in the future, connecting Kashgar with the Central Asian region. The opening of the comprehensive free trade zone in Kashgar has positively impacted the regional economy. According to data from the “Renmin Ribao Online,” based on customs data from Kashgar, by the end of 2023, the foreign trade volume of Kashgar district reached 83.68 billion yuan, marking a 71.2% year-on-year increase and accounting for 23.4% of the total import and export volume of the XUAR. According to data from May 2024, the import-export trade volume of the Kashgar region reached 27.08 billion yuan, representing a 71.9% increase compared to the corresponding figure from the previous year.
Since 2010, Kashgar has been classified as a special economic zone and is part of the New Silk Road, serving as a connecting link for international investors and traders with countries in Europe and the Middle East. Reports indicate that 658 enterprises have been registered in Kashgar’s comprehensive free trade zone. Among them are 38 manufacturing and processing enterprises, 588 trade and logistics enterprises, as well as 32 various enterprises in exhibition, trade, and services. Notable examples include the Kashgar branch of the Dezhou Institute of Technological Research, which produces vehicles powered by new energy sources, and the Kashgar Changsheng Textile Technology Co., Ltd., a textile factory funded by Yongtai Cotton Textile Company. The Kashgar SEZ also engages in tea production, importing goods from other countries, including those from Central Asia. A modern trade complex has been opened here where regional products and goods in high demand in the Belt and Road areas can be purchased. Because this area is tax-exempt, wholesale and retail buyers are also coming to Kashgar.
Thanks to its rich resources and industrial base, Xinjiang is currently accelerating the development of major industrial clusters such as oil, gas, coal, thermal energy, coal-chemical industry, “green” mining industry, and new strategically important sectors. This indicates an increasingly sophisticated industrial system characterized by the integrated development of the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors of the economy. Thus, Xinjiang’s role as a strategic base for ensuring China’s energy and resource security, as well as its importance as a key supplier of high-quality agricultural and livestock products for the entire country, is growing.
Despite having significant reserves of oil and gas, the exploitation of these resources is rapidly developing, making the region a key transit hub for Central Asian gas and Kazakh oil exports. In recent years, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) has started to show activity as a potential investor in projects that China is implementing in Central Asia. For example, Xinjiang is assisting in the construction of the “D network” of the China-Central Asia gas pipeline, supporting the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (“Middle Corridor”), and facilitating the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, among others.
Erkin Baidarov, for China Studies Centre.
