China's Muslims: Separatism and Prospects for Ethnic Peace

摘要

The Uighur issue is of vital regional and global security importance to China. Although minority separatists are not well-armed and seem to be largely disorganized, the violence poses a very real threat to China's ability to develop Xinjiang. The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) behavior toward its Muslims has received renewed Western attention in the aftermath of 9/11. China's Uighurs have responded to CCP policies with violence and separatist activity, but the Hui (ethnic Chinese who are Muslim) have reacted with relatively high levels of accommodation. Some have blamed Uighur separatism on external influences (such as transnational terror) and Islam. However, the puzzle is, why do the Uighurs engage in separatism and the Hui do not. This study contributes to existing literature by directly comparing the Uighurs and Hui to determine the reasons behind Uighur separatism and Hui accommodation. The thesis argues that the Uighurs and Hui have faced different social and economic realities that have led to different perceptions of inequality and thus, different reactions to CCP policy. Also, unlike Uighur ethnic identity, Hui identity stems from and is compatible with the PRC and Chinese society. This study uses primary sources including interviews with Uighurs, Hui, and Han Chinese conducted in western China during June and July of 2006.