http://www.bjreview.com AUGUST 1, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 13

VV

in different periods. Xinjiang too had sev-

eral local regimes. Nevertheless, the region

was ultimately united.

In different periods in Xinjiang there

were city states, nomadic states, prince-

doms, kingdoms, khanates, vassal states,

tributary states and other forms of local

regime. But these were all local regimes

within the territory of China; they were

never independent countries. Those local

regimes had a strong sense of national

identity, and acknowledged themselves as

branches or vassals of the Central Plains

authorities.

Ethnic cultures

Xinjiang has been a multi-ethnic region

since ancient times. Various ethnic groups

entering Xinjiang in different periods

brought technology, culture and ideas, folk

customs and other aspects of their lives,

promoting economic and social develop-

ment through exchanges and integration.

They grew and integrated despite periods

of isolation and conflict, and shared good

fortune and hardship. All of them have

made important contributions to exploring,

developing and protecting Xinjiang, and

they are all masters of Xinjiang, the white

paper said.

Xinjiang is one of the provincial-

level administrative regions with the most

ethnic groups in China, 56 in total. The

Uygur, Han, Kazak and Hui have popula-

tions of 1 million and above, and the Kirgiz

and Mongol have populations exceeding

100,000 each.

The ethnic groups of China, including

for separatists and anti-China forces at-

tempting to split China,” the document

said. History cannot be tampered with and

the facts are indisputable.

The region is experiencing its most

remarkable period of development and

prosperity, which has been closely related

to the rest of China’s throughout its long

history. While Chinese territory underwent

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tion and development have always been

the overall trend. Small kingdoms or sepa-

ratist regimes existed in the Central Plains

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hina’s State Council Information
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Historical Matters Concerning
Xinjiang, on July 21, emphasizing
that Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous
Region in northwest China has long been
an inseparable part of Chinese territory.
Xinjiang has never been known as East
Turkistan, and there has never been any
state known as East Turkistan, the white
paper said.
“The advocacy of this so-called state
has become a political tool and program

Local people in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest

China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, welcome

visitors on July 9