What Happens In China Does Not Stay In China

What Happens In China Does Not Stay In China
May 04, 2013 By Tom Watkins

Everything and everybody is connected in today’s world. That is a lot of territory to cover and neither China nor America is an island. What happens in one country impacts the other and often, all humanity. This makes China’s minority “problem” a world problem. A moral voice is a terrible thing to lose. And yet, America’s national debt is producing collateral damage. As the U.S. debt rises, our strong and forceful global voice goes soft and our moral outrage diminishes. This can be seen in how not only America, but other nations respond to alleged human rights violations, especially against minority people in China.

Let’s be clear: America’s record in its treatment of minorities is less than stellar. From stealing the land from Native Americans/American Indians and nearly eliminating their population, to enslaving people from Africa, to abusing Chinese laborers, the list of atrocities is long. Yet, it is just this history that tells me that unless China addresses the wants and needs of the minorities within its borders in a fair and humane fashion, there will always be a boiling pot ready to explode beneath the surface.

China’s rise seems chiseled into the consciousness of most Americans and others in the West. China represents an ancient civilization that continues to evolve and change. It is said that more than 400 million Chinese have moved from abject poverty to the equivalent of a Chinese middle class over the past three decades. This should be celebrated by all. By just about any measure considered, China is on the rise and is re-emerging as the “Middle Kingdom” of old. London-based Goldman Sachs Asset Management macro-economist Anna Stupnytska says, “The rise of the Chinese consumer will be the most important trend in the coming decade.”

Yet, there are other trends that bear watching, and understanding how they are managed will help define China and the world. Some 91 percent of China’s 1.3 billion people are classified as ethnic Han. Many mistakenly view China as homogeneous while those that look at the Chinese underbelly see a rich, ethnic blend that is seething under the dominate ethnic rule of the Han nationality. Few outside China realize that there are 55 ethnic minorities officially recognized within China. These include the Miao Bai, Dai, Xibe, Jingpo, Usbek, Hui, Mongolian, Yao, Li Wau, Manchu, Dong and Uighurs, to name just a few. Minorities make up a small percentage of the 1.3 billion Chinese but constitute a large portion of the internal tension.

Through the more-than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization there have been numerous minority uprisings against majority rule. The Uighurs (also spelled Uygur or Uigur and pronounced “we-gar”), and the Tibetans are the two Chinese minorities that the world will be hearing more about in the future. I hope for the sake of the Chinese, Uighurs, Tibetans and all of humanity that we do not hear of these ethic groups as a result of conflict, terror and bloodshed. However, I suspect we will.

Uighurs?

The Uighurs are a Turkish people and constituted a major empire in centuries past. The Uighurs converted to Islam several centuries ago. The Uighur population is disputed and ranges from 8 to 15 million strong. They are found throughout China but are concentrated in the Xinjiang (meaning “New Territory” or “New Frontier”) Autonomous Region in Northwest China. Xinjiang is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Mongolia to the northeast, and Kirghizstan and Tajikistan to the northwest and west. To the west and southwest lie Afghanistan and Pakistan; to the south are Tibet and India. To the east—1,500 miles away—lies Beijing, China. Xinjiang is so remote that it is obscure or nonexistent to most in the West. The Uighurs refer to this area by its historical name, East Turkistan or Uyghuristan.

Many call the Uighurs the Tibetans’ Muslims. The Uighurs, like the Buddhist Tibetans, are asking for more accommodations for their disparate culture and beliefs. The Chinese will respond that many Uighurs are a terrorist faction in bed with al-Qaeda and bent on violent separatist activities. There have been historical crackdowns on the Uighurs that have been stepped up since 9-11. Some believe the Chinese have used the “international war on terror” as justification to tighten the grip on the Uighur people. Human rights groups contend the Chinese government exaggerates Uighur terrorist threats so it can clamp down on the Uighurs and arrest and torture those they suspect of being dissidents.

Like the Tibetans, the Uighurs believe the Chinese government has instituted cultural genocide against them. The Chinese would respond by claiming that since the 1949 liberation, old feudal religious habits and privileges have been abolished and control by the “reactionary ruling class” removed so that today the Uighur people enjoy a higher standard of living and more economic opportunities. The Chinese Government sees some Uighurs as terrorists espousing separatist ideology linked with the larger Islamic Jihadist goal to overthrow existing governments and install a religious theocracy. They claim it is for these reasons China must clamp down.

Tibetans

There has been tension between the Chinese Han majority and the Tibetan minority for centuries. This resulted in deadly riots in Lhasa, Tibet, in 2008. The Tibetan people feel the situation under Chinese Han rule is repressive and suffocating. Over the last several years Tibetans have taken to self-immolation in a desperate attempt to bring the world’s spotlight onto their plight. More than 110 ethnic Tibetans have set themselves on fire in recent years in protest against Chinese rule. This method of protest demonstrates the profound sense of personal anger, helplessness and hopelessness experienced by Tibetans today.

The Chinese government blames Tibetans outside China—particularly the Dalai Lama—for stirring up trouble. The Dalai Lama disputes these claims and states that he advocates a “middle way” with Beijing, seeking autonomy but not independence or a separate country for his people. The Communist Chinese government rejects criticism of its control, claiming that Tibetans enjoy religious freedom and higher standards of living directly attributable to its rule.

Given these extreme differences between the ethnic minority Uighurs, Tibetans and the Chinese government, it is only a matter of time before the scab will be removed and the internal Chinese festering sore will come into full view. When the scab is removed, it is likely to be ugly and difficult for the world to ignore. Will the cause be seen as oppression, cultural genocide, employment and economic deprivation as charged by the Tibetans and Uighurs? Perhaps the spark will be internal uprisings of people longing for independence, which is viewed as an act of civil war by the Chinese government.

China’s history has been plagued by foreign invaders and internal divisions. Perhaps the greatest fear that all “Chinese Rulers” have is losing control and splintering China like their old ally, the Soviet Union. The Chinese have vowed to never again be divided by external or internal forces. These realities dictate that we will be hearing more about the Tibetans and Uighurs in the future.

To many, the U.S.-China economic seesaw has the Asian giant in the ascending position. It is argued that China will pass the U.S. as the world’s largest economy as early as midway through this decade. The U.S. government is in debt to the tune of nearly $16 trillion, with more than $1 trillion borrowed from China to keep its economy going. It appears that it has become increasingly more difficult to bite the hand that feeds us. It is said, “He who pays the piper calls the tune.”

These new realities have created a, “moral laryngitis” in America that serves China’s interests well, as the Chinese government regards Tibetans and Uyghurs as troublemakers attempting to disrupt that country’s “harmonious rise.” The thinking of the ruling Communist party is, the less noise made by America and other Western countries regarding these issues, the better. So, while Uighurs and Tibetans attempt to draw the world’s attention to their plight, America finds itself biting its lip.

I do not raise these issues to cast aspersions on China or to interfere with their internal affairs. I do not wish to denigrate the remarkable progress China has made throughout recent history. I do not wish China to fail. To the contrary, as I have written on many occasions, the world needs China to succeed. Unlike Las Vegas, what happens in China does not stay in China. Unrest among ethnic Chinese minorities in China will impact not only China, but the entire world.

For everyone’s sake, let’s hope for a positive outcome.

Tom Watkins has a life-long interest in China and has traveled extensively in China for nearly a quarter century to build cultural, educational and economic ties. He has written well over a hundred essays on all things China including for the prestigious ChinaUSfocus.com and serves on the University of Michigan Confucius Institute Board of Advisors as well as the Michigan Economic Development Corporation international Advisory Board. He is the former Michigan State Superintendent of Schools, President and CEO of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County, FL. He is currently a U.S./China business and educational consultant. He can be reached attdwatkins88@gmail.com

See original article here: domemagazine.com

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3 Comments

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rasklnik

"he...serves on the University of Michigan Confucius Institute Board of Advisors" I believe he is what used to be called a 5th columnist.

May 05, 2013 06:56 Report Abuse

13david

Two junk comments. Having been in both regions, I have witnessed the deep resistance to Chinese "occupation". You must realise that the communist[?] government's main aim is to stay in power and one of their usual weapons to deal with 'resisters' is line a few up against the wall and frighten the others[ basis of ancient proverb] Blaming the Dalai Lama is pathetic, seen as farcical in the west,where oppression is seen for what is is. How the hell can 100s of Uighers be massacred and Tibetans burn themselves without anyone that needs be, "wake up" . The Communist party is skilled in suppressing dissent, surely I dont have to list examples ad naseaum?? Yes they average chinese is busily trying to survive , but the challenge is coming for such things as free speech and self determination.That is being bitterly crushed at the moment, but as the light of truth is shown on this fascist government eventually it will be consigned to the dustbin of history.

May 04, 2013 16:30 Report Abuse

t91camp

A guy with a résumé like that made the mistake of calling Uyghurs "Turkish"? Sigh...

May 04, 2013 07:00 Report Abuse