People International

Traversed by the ancient Silk Road, Xinjiang consists of two vast desert basins surrounded and divided by the Tien Shan, or celestial mountains.  Literally meaning "New Frontier", advocates of independence prefer historical or ethnic names such as Chinese Turkestan or Uyguristan.

In 1950, 94% of the population was Uygur.  The cultural assimilation and racial discrimination that China has since engineered and its suppression of any political opposition has only increased Uygur calls for independence.

 The highly developed civilisation of the Uyghurs dates back to the 8^th Century AD.  Their music and dancing greatly influenced Chinese performing arts during the Tang Dynasty.  Uyghur scribes, translators, interpreters, administrators and men of finance were the backbone of Mongol imperial power.  In the 19^th and 20^th Centuries, European explorers returned from Xinjiang reporting the discovery of ancient manuscripts in over a dozen languages testifying to the amazing cultural cross-fertilisation which has characterised Xinjiang since time immemorial.