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Impact of the Xinjiang Problem on the China's IMPACT OF THE XINJIANG PROBLEM ON THE CHINA’S EXTERNAL RELATIONS: 1990-2010 A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY FATMA ÖZGE ATAY IN PARTICULAR FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN THE PROGRAM OF EURASIAN STUDIES DECEMBER 2010 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Meliha Benli ALTUNIŞIK Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pınar AKÇALI Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oktay TANRISEVER Supervisor Examining Committee Members Prof. Dr. Sencer İMER (Aksaray U., Dean of FEAS) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oktay TANRISEVER (METU, IR) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fırat PURTAŞ (Gazi U., IR) I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name : Fatma Özge ATAY Signature : iii ABSTRACT IMPACT OF THE XINJIANG PROBLEM ON CHINA’S EXTERNAL RELATIONS: 1990-2010 Atay, Fatma Özge M.S., Eurasian Studies Program Supervisor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Oktay F. TANRISEVER December 2010, 138 pages This thesis analyses the impact of the Xinjiang Problem on the foreign policy of China. Because of its strategic location and natural resources, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) has great importance for China. Contrary to the scholars who view Chinese foreign policy towards Central Asia as a product of China’s economic ambitions, this thesis argues that Chinese foreign policy towards Central Asian region has been shaped by security considerations of China related to the Xinjiang Problem. The Xinjiang Problem shapes China’s foreign relations with Central Asian states, Russia, the U.S. and Turkey because this problem has became an important element of China’s territorial integrity as well as its strategy of stabilizing Central Asian region. This thesis is composed of eight chapters. The first chapter is the introduction. The second chapter looks at the evolution of the problem of Xinjiang. Chapter three examines the main characteristics of the Chinese Foreign policy. The fourth chapter discusses the China’s relations with the Central Asian states. The relation between China and Russia is analyzed in the fifth chapter. The sixth chapter deals with China’s relations with the U.S. as well as the Taiwan and Tibet issues. The seventh chapter explores the impact of the Xinjiang Problem on China’s relations with Turkey. Keywords: The Xinjiang Problem, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the Uyghurs, China, Central Asia, Turkey, Russia, the U.S. iv ÖZ SİNCAN SORUNUNUN ÇİN DIŞ POLİTİKASINA ETKİSİ: 1990-2010 Atay, Fatma Özge Yüksek Lisans, Avrasya Çalışmaları Tez Yöneticisi: Doç Dr. Oktay F. TANRISEVER Aralık, 2010, 138 sayfa Bu tez, Sincan sorununun Çin dış politikasına etkisini incelemektedir. Sincan Uygur Özerk Bölgesi (SUÖB) stratejik konumu ve doğal kaynakları nedeniyle Çin için büyük öneme sahiptir. Çin’in Orta Asya’ya yönelik politikalarını ekonomik isteklerinin bir ürünü olarak gören teorisyenlerin aksine, bu tez Çin’in Orta Asya bölgesine yönelik dış politikasının Sincan sorununa ilişkin güvenlik endişeleri ile şekillendiğini ileri sürmektedir. Sincan sorunu Çin’in Orta Asya ülkeleri, Rusya, Amerika ve Türkiye ile ilişkilerini şekillendirmektedir çünkü bu sorun Çin’in toprak bütünlüğü ve Orta Asya bölgesinin istikrarının sağlanması stratejisinin önemli bir unsurudur. Bu tez 8 bölümden oluşmaktadır. İlk bölüm giriş bölümüdür. İkinci bölümde Sincan sorununun tarihsel gelişimi incelenmektedir. Üçüncü bölümde, Çin dış politikasınınn ana özelliklerine değinilmektedir. Dördüncü bölümde Çin’in Orta Asya ülkeleri ile olan ilişkileri tartışılmaktadır. Beşinci bölümde Çin ve Rusya arasındaki ilişkilerin analizi yapılmaktadır. Altıncı bölümde Tayvan ve Tibet sorunları vurgulanmak suretiyle Çin ve A.B.D. arasındaki ilişkilerden bahsedilmektedir. Yedinci bölümde Çin ve Türkiye arasındaki ilişkiler ile tüm bu ilişkilere Sincan sorunun etkisi araştırılmaktadır. Sekinci bölüm ise sonuç bölümüdür. Anahtar kelimeler: Sincan sorunu, Sincan Uygur Özerk Bölgesi, Uygur, Çin, Orta Asya, Rusya, Amerika, Türkiye. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to state that I am grateful to my supervisor, Assist. Prof. Dr. Oktay F. Tanrısever, for his invaluable comments, advice, support and patience throughout my study. Without his encouragement and help this thesis would definitely be incomplete. Also, I am very grateful to my distinguished examining committee members, Prof. Dr. Sencer İmer and Assist. Prof. Dr. Fırat Purtaş for their suggestions as they helped me in refining my ideas on this topic. Finally, I would like to thank my dear family especially my mother Serpil Afşar and my grandmother Nimet Afşar for their belief in me and for all their pray for me. Last but not least, I would like to thank my dearest husband Niyazi Güneş Atay for his love, his support and always being there for me. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM.........................................................................................................iii ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................iv ÖZ.............................................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....................................................................................vi TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................vii LIST OF FIGURES...................................................................................................x CHAPTERS 1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................1 2. EVOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM OF XINJIANG................................................10 2.1. History of the Uyghurs....................................................................................10 2.2. Xinjiang After Chinese Invasion.....................................................................12 2.3. Xinjiang Under the Rule of Communist China...............................................15 2.3.1. Policies of PRC (1949-1989).....................................................................15 2.3.2. Impact of Cultural Revolution...................................................................19 vii 2.3.3. The Movements in Xinjiang in 1990s........................................................23 2.3.4. Great Western Development Program of China........................................27 2.3.5. China’s Policy Towards Uyghurs After 9/11.............................................34 3. CHINESE FOREIGN RELATIONS..........................................................................40 3.1. Historical Background.....................................................................................40 3.2. Determinants of Chinese Foreign Policy Objectives.......................................46 3.3. Main Aims of Chinese Foreign Policy.............................................................50 4. CHINA’S RELATIONS WITH THE CENTRAL ASIAN STATES ........................55 4.1. Development of Relations Between China & Central Asian States................56 4.2. Main Issues Between China and Central Asian States.....................................61 4.2.1. Border Issue..........................................................................................61 4.2.2. Energy Security and Nuclear Energy Issues........................................63 4.2.3. Economic Relations.............................................................................66 4.2.4. Security Issues.....................................................................................68 4.3. Role of Xinjiang Problem in China’s Relations with Central Asian States.....70 5. CHINA’S RELATIONS WITH RUSSIAN FEDERATION ......................................73 5.1. Development of the Sino-Soviet Relations......................................................73 5.2. Main Issues Between China and Central Asian States....................................77 5.3. Role of Xinjiang Problem on Sino-Soviet Relations.......................................85 6. CHINA’S RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.................89 viii 6.1. Development of China-U.S. relations..............................................................89 6.2. Main Issues Between China and the U.S.........................................................94 6.2.1. Taiwan Issue........................................................................................95 6.2.2. Trade Dispute......................................................................................97 6.2.3. Tibet Issue...........................................................................................99 6.3. Role of Xinjiang Problem in China’s Relations with the U.S........................101 7. CHINA’S RELATIONS WITH TURKEY ...............................................................105 7.1. Development of China & Turkey Relations...................................................105 7.2. Main Issues Between Turkey
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