A report from the Uyghur Human Rights Project reveals how Beijing and Arab states worked together in the repression of the Uyghurs.
Uyghurs have been experiencing transnational repression over the years. While they initially found safety in the Arab world, this is no longer the case.
In the Arab region, in particular, the transnational repression of China toward Uyghurs has been rampantly growing. This goes hand in hand with how China has been strengthening its relations with Arab states. In fact, there are at least six different Arab governments that have cooperated with China’s transnational repressive efforts. These countries include Syria, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, and Qatar.
According to a Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) report titled Beyond Silence: Collaboration Between Arab States and China in the Transnational Repression of Uyghurs, there is a rough estimate of 292 who have been deported or detained from Arab regions under China’s directives since the year 2001.
How China is repressing Uyghurs
The powerful regime incorporates five transnational repression mechanisms in targeting Arab-based Uyghurs. These are the following.
- Islamic educational institutions where Uyghurs can enroll — This becomes the regime’s hotspot for crackdowns.
- Digital monitoring on a transnational scale — This enables China to keep track of the Uyghurs who live beyond their borders.
- Narratives of the global War on Terror — This helps justify their detention efforts toward the Uyghurs.
- Denial of travel-related documents in the Arab region — This leaves Uyghurs stateless and increases their risk for deportation.
- Saudi Arabia’s Umrah and Hajj — These enable China to track or hold Uyghur pilgrims.
China’s growing engagement with Arab states
Collaborations between China and Arab states are nothing new. According to the UHRP, China shares a comprehensive strategic partnership with three particular Arab states included in their report: UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Aside from that, the regime also shares strategic partnerships with Morocco and Qatar.
These shared agreements are not considered alliances because China has had a policy for non-alliance implemented since the early 1980s. The right way to describe these arrangements would be frameworks that the regime utilizes for its foreign policy. This is done to increase the structure of multi-sided relations with certain conditions for cooperation across different areas, including security, telecommunications, and trade.
Uyghurs in Arab regions
The population of Uyghurs (commonly referred to as “Turkistani” in Arab states) has been steadily growing since the 19th and 20th centuries. This growth was preceded by brief East Turkistan republics and emirates.
Currently, their number in Arab states is not known for certain. Different sources have different numbers when it comes to this.
Several historical events, such as the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Baren Revolt, have encouraged China to change its own security plans on the western borders.
The regime had a growing fear of the rising religiosity in Pakistan and the probable increase of patriotic sentiments of post-Soviet kin within their borders. This led China to embark on a substantial reversal of the Uyghur’s political landscape during the era of Deng Xiaoping.
Implementing religious restrictions on Islam and manipulating the worldwide War on Terror had its culmination as part of China’s efforts to pursue Uyghurs based in Arab regions. They were perceived as suspicious and as a result, were forced to go back to their home region where repression and detention are rampant.
Based on the UHRP’s report, it is clear that transnational repression efforts against Uyghurs from Arab regions have been rising since 2001 and since the global War On Terror commenced. With China’s significantly growing political and economic interests, the regime’s transnational repression efforts in the Arab states became a reality.
The cultural and religious draw of Uyghurs toward Arab states has boosted the effects of China’s transnational repression efforts. Arab states are not known for having the best record when it comes to human rights. Considering this, they may be eager to nurture a beneficial relationship with China.
