Muslims in China will face tougher controls

Subject

Counterterrorism in Xinjiang.

Significance

This year has seen unusual parades involving thousands of heavily armed troops in three of Xinjiang’s most important cities: Kashgar, Hotan and the capital, Urumqi. This show of force came after new regulations and measures that have effectively transformed the province into a surveillance state.

Impacts

• Recent events indicate a transformation from a nationalist fight into a religious one, in line with similar developments worldwide.
• The allegiance of most militants in Xinjiang still goes to the Turkestan Islamic Party, despite Islamic State (IS) successes.
• Elsewhere in China, Islam is increasingly considered a threat by both the Chinese authorities and the public opinion.