Why is the U.S. stirring up the Uygur issue?

Editor's note: Mehmet Ali Güller is a well-known political journalist in Türkiye. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The Uygur language is one of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's two official languages. From road signs to shop names, both Uygur and Chinese are used everywhere. On domestic flights within the autonomous region, announcements are made not only in Chinese and English but also in Uygur. There are many newspapers and TV stations broadcasting in Uygur. What's more, on China's national bank notes, beneath the numerical denomination in the upper right corner, the value is also written in Uygur in addition to Chinese.

Uygur people freely practice their religion. The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is home to many mosques – well-maintained and aesthetically designed ones. Prayers are held five times a day. Young people are trained at the Islamic Institute to serve in these mosques.

In short, the Uygur people today enjoy the maximum rights that an ethnic group can possess in a modern nation-state.

Yet despite this, why is there still a so-called "Uygur issue" in Türkiye and among certain Uygur circles in the United States?

More precisely, why is the U.S. fueling the Uygur issue?

The U.S. aim: Destabilizing China

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the imperialist United States designed a neoliberal new world order based on the fragmentation of nation-states along ethnic and sectarian lines. Over the past 35 years, this policy has been implemented in Yugoslavia, Iraq, and Syria – countries attacked under the guise of "democracy," "freedom," and "human rights," only to be divided and federalized.

The U.S. seeks to apply the same method to Türkiye, Iran, Russia, and China. Of course, Türkiye is not Syria, Iran is not Iraq, and Russia or China are not Yugoslavia. It is impossible for the U.S. to divide these countries outright. But by using the same tactics, Washington aims to weaken and destabilize them.

Thus, for the U.S., the Kurdish issue in Türkiye, the Chechen issue in Russia, and the Uygur issue in China serve the same function.

The United States is not concerned with the rights of any ethnic group – its concern is purely imperialist self-interest. This is why it supports certain Uygur groups trying to split China, yet takes drastically different stances in other regions. This contradiction demonstrates that the U.S. actions are not driven by morality, but solely by strategic interests. 

In short, Washington stirs up the Uygur issue as part of its attempt to weaken and destabilize China.

The U.S. aim: Disrupting the Belt and Road Initiative

The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region serves as China's gateway to the West, its bridge to Central Asia, and a critical hub of the Belt and Road Initiative. By stirring unrest there, the U.S. aims to block or entangle the Belt and Road Initiative.

The region is also vital for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Gwadar-Kashi oil pipeline. Chinese tankers that load oil in the Persian Gulf bypass the U.S.-controlled Strait of Malacca by unloading at Pakistan's Gwadar Port, from where the oil flows via pipeline to Kashi, in the heart of Xinjiang. Washington's objective is to disrupt this energy route.

Xinjiang is rich in valuable minerals and rare earth elements. In its technological rivalry with China, the U.S. seeks to weaken Beijing's hand by targeting such strategic resources.

The U.S. aim: Undermining Türkiye-China relations

The U.S. also seeks to drive a wedge between China and the Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan – which are China's partners within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Similarly, by manipulating certain networks within Türkiye linked to Gladio structures, the U.S. tries to sabotage the growing relationship between Türkiye and China through the promotion of Uygur separatism.

Although Washington's strategy to extend its influence from Türkiye into the Caucasus and Central Asia has been partially contained since the collapse of the Soviet Union, yet the U.S. now pursues similar goals through new means.

For example, Washington's attempt to control the Zangezur Corridor under the name of the "Trump Corridor" for 99 years, or its interest in using the Bagram Airbase against China after withdrawing from Afghanistan, are both part of this effort.

Meanwhile, terrorist incidents in Pakistan, operations aimed at provoking tensions between Iran and Pakistan, and border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan are all manifestations of the same destabilization strategy.

Taking the Uygur card away from the U.S.

The so-called "Uygur issue" is a strategic card in Washington's hand, used to undermine Türkiye-China relations.

Therefore, Ankara and Beijing should take that card away by turning the Uygur issue into a field of cooperation rather than confrontation.

Developing Türkiye-China relations can serve as a lever for the development of the Uygur people and the Xinjiang region itself, while the growth of Uygur prosperity can, in turn, strengthen Türkiye-China cooperation.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com. Follow @thouse_opinions on X, formerly Twitter, to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)