Istiqlal English (2025)

23/03/2025

Last week, on March 16, 2025, at an Iftar event organized by the European East Turkistan Education Association, signals were given about actions to gain stronger support from more political parties in the Dutch Parliament for the Uyghur issue, as well as to keep the Uyghur issue consistently on the parliamentary agenda. More than 200 people attended this Iftar event. Among them were Stephan van Baarle, the leader of the Denk party in the Netherlands, leaders of many Turkish organizations, and also leaders of some Uyghur organizations operating in Turkey.

The Iftar event began with an opening speech by Abulqasim Abdulzaziz, the president of the European East Turkistan Education Association, which organized this event. Afterward, political party leaders and officials from various Turkish organizations spoke one after another, expressing that Uyghurs are not alone and that they support Uyghurs. I would like to share with readers several points that caught my attention at this Iftar event.

POLITICAL PARTY SUPPORT - NEW STRENGTH AND NEW HOPE

Speaking at this Iftar event, Denk party leader Stephan van Baarle expressed that he attaches special importance to the Uyghur issue. He not only indicated that his party would work on legislative initiatives for Uyghurs in the Dutch Parliament and continuously bring up the Uyghur issue in the Dutch Parliament, but his statement about striving to take concrete political steps toward recognizing that East Turkistan is not "Xinjiang" but rather a territory occupied by the Chinese government made a deep impression on participants.

This is a promise from a political party leader to proactively work to protect Uyghurs' land and culture openly in the Dutch Parliament, which is clear evidence of keeping the Uyghur issue on the political agenda in the Netherlands. One practical step mentioned in Stephan van Baarle's speech was emphasizing that they had launched a long-term plan to politically educate Uyghur youth once a month, starting from last month: "The main purpose of this plan is to increase Uyghur youth's interest in politics and help them play an active role on the international stage regarding the Uyghur issue," he said.

22/03/2025

Thai officials who visited East Turkistan insisted on exonerating China. Senior Thai government officials who visited East Turkistan to "visit" Uyghurs handed over to China and insisted on exonerating China.

According to the Bangkok Post, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Phumtham Wichayachai, Justice Minister Thawee Sodsong, and several military officials made a three-day visit to East Turkistan on March 18 to monitor the conditions of the Uyghurs who were handed over to China last month. The visit by the Thai officials is believed to have been orchestrated to justify their own crimes, drawing criticism from some countries, including the United States and international organizations.

LAccording to reports, Phumtham Wichayachai, speaking on the final day of his three-day visit, insisted that the families he met were voluntarily selected. During the visit, he insisted on exonerating China, rejecting international warnings that China was manipulating and deceiving the 40 Uyghurs who were repatriated.

Bomtam rejected claims that the Uyghurs' emotions during the visit were fake, saying, "They are not Hollywood actors crying on orders. Their eyes filled with tears when we arrived. Their emotions were normal when they were asked if they were happy."

He also described a moment when one of the forcibly returned Uyghurs firmly grasped his hand, saying, "This proved that their feelings were genuine." He added that he urges observers to pay attention not to the words used, but to the emotions expressed through expressions, gestures, and sounds.

China welcomed the Thai officials and received them with its usual elaborate spectacle, including a visit to the Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, which had been banned for prayers was open to tourists. The Thai delegation met with the imam of the Id Kah Mosque, who, as arranged by China, raved, "The repatriated Uyghurs are living safely and in good conditions in accordance with Chinese law."

22/03/2025

Thai officials who visited East Turkistan insisted on exonerating China. Senior Thai government officials who visited East Turkistan to "visit" Uyghurs handed over to China and insisted on exonerating China.

According to the Bangkok Post, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Phumtham Wichayachai, Justice Minister Thawee Sodsong, and several military officials made a three-day visit to East Turkistan on March 18 to monitor the conditions of the Uyghurs who were handed over to China last month. The visit by the Thai officials is believed to have been orchestrated to justify their own crimes, drawing criticism from some countries, including the United States and international organizations.

According to reports, Phumtham Wichayachai, speaking on the final day of his three-day visit, insisted that the families he met were voluntarily selected. During the visit, he insisted on exonerating China, rejecting international warnings that China was manipulating and deceiving the 40 Uyghurs who were repatriated.

Bomtam rejected claims that the Uyghurs' emotions during the visit were fake, saying, "They are not Hollywood actors crying on orders. Their eyes filled with tears when we arrived. Their emotions were normal when they were asked if they were happy."

He also described a moment when one of the forcibly returned Uyghurs firmly grasped his hand, saying, "This proved that their feelings were genuine." He added that he urges observers to pay attention not to the words used, but to the emotions expressed through expressions, gestures, and sounds.

China welcomed the Thai officials and deceived them with its usual elaborate spectacle, including a visit to the Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, which had been banned for prayers and was open to tourists. The Thai delegation met with the imam of the Id Kah Mosque, who, as arranged by China, raved, "The repatriated Uyghurs are living safely and in good conditions in accordance with Chinese law."

22/03/2025

Chinese finances are facing challenges due to US President Donald Trump's tariff policy.

According to a report by The New York Times on March 21, the latest Chinese government budget revealed a striking statistic: a significant decline in tax revenues has created difficulties in tackling economic problems, such as the collapse of the real estate market and the decline of local governments.

The financial downturn has reportedly limited the Chinese system's ability to support export sectors facing tariff increases by the US government. Despite the slowdown in China's economic development in recent years, tax revenues have remained stable. However, this particularly significant decline has drawn significant attention. The decline in tax revenues has weakened the financial capacity of businesses and the government, creating difficulties in repaying their debts.

22/03/2025

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged Chinese foreign trade companies to prepare for trade risks.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post on March 21, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called on Chinese foreign trade companies to strengthen their resilience in the face of growing external challenges, especially the United States' tariff increases. At a meeting held in China's Fujian Province, Li Keqiang emphasized the complexity of the foreign trade situation and stressed the need for companies to diversify their markets, innovate their trade methods, and enhance the competitiveness of their products.

Li Keqiang also noted that the contribution of private companies to China's foreign trade is significant and called on the government to provide stronger support for private companies. He also visited several companies. During this process, Li Keqiang emphasized the importance of enhancing brand influence and cooperation among foreign trade companies, called for improving the effectiveness of supervision and customs to support their operations, and reiterated China's plan to attract foreign investment.

Recently, American companies have accelerated their withdrawal from China, with industrial, development, and research and technology companies accounting for 41% of those withdrawing from China. Although 38% of companies plan to relocate to other developing countries in Asia, the pull of developed countries such as the United States, the European Union, Japan, and Korea is growing. According to economists, Trump's tariff policies have severely damaged the declining Chinese economy.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has forecast a slowdown in the Chinese economy, indicating that it will grow by 4.8% this year and decline to 4.4% by 2026.

21/03/2025

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor issued an appeal on March 18, calling for the release of Dr. Gulshan Abbas, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison by Chinese authorities in 2019, and for an end to the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against the Uyghurs.

This is the latest confirmation from the U.S. State Department of the continued genocide and crimes against humanity against the Uyghurs since the Trump administration took office in January of this year. Prior to this, last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa bans on Thai officials and other foreign government officials responsible for the repatriation of Uyghurs to China, also citing the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against the Uyghurs and other Muslim groups.

The appeal, published by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor on the X platform, stated: "Uyghur physician Gulshan Abbas was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a secret trial in 2019 and remains detained today. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has arrested Gulshan Abbas on baseless charges, part of a transnational campaign of repression aimed at silencing her family, a U.S. citizen."

The statement added: "The CCP must stop its ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs, as well as its attempts to silence Americans through violence and intimidation."

According to available information, Gulshan Abbas is a retired physician from the Second Regional Hospital in Urumqi, Uyghur Autonomous Region, and was arrested in September 2018. Her family members in the United States learned in December 2020 that she had been charged with "joining a terrorist organization," "aiding terrorist activities," and "subverting social order." She was sentenced to 20 years in prison in March 2019.

21/03/2025

Chinese nationalists were overjoyed by the news that the Trump administration had cut funding to media outlets like Radio Free Asia and Voice of America.

As The New York Times reported on March 18, Chinese media outlets celebrated the significant budget cuts to outlets like Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. These two U.S. government-funded media organizations have long reported on human rights abuses in China and the genocide in East Turkestan in multiple languages, and China has accused them of being "U.S. propaganda tools."

After President Trump signed an executive order dissolving the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees these outlets, Voice of America employees were placed on paid leave. Radio Free Asia's funding was also cut. This situation has raised concerns about the future and prospects of media workers.

21/03/2025

A detailed presentation on China's genocidal crimes in East Turkistan, particularly religious repression, was delivered at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

A delegation from the World Uyghur Congress participated in the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which opened on March 17 in Geneva, Switzerland, where they delivered a presentation on China's genocidal crimes in East Turkistan.

The President of the World Uyghur Congress, Turgunjan Alaudun, spoke at the meeting as a representative of the Uyghurs. He captured the attention of the meeting participants when he gave a presentation in Arabic on China's crimes in East Turkistan. According to available information, representatives of Arab countries, who constituted the majority in the Council, were surprised when they heard for the first time directly about China's crimes, such as preventing the Uyghurs from fasting during Ramadan, preventing them from attending mosques, and prohibiting the reading of the Quran and other religious activities.

Representatives of the World Uyghur Congress also organized a series of activities at the United Nations during the meeting to highlight China's genocidal crimes against the Uyghurs in East Turkistan. A three-day photo exhibition titled "Uyghur Genocide" was also held in front of the UN office.

21/03/2025

A Thai government delegation, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Additional Minister of Defense Vachaichai and Minister of Justice Thawi Sodsong, arrived in Kashgar on Wednesday morning, March 19, and began examining the conditions of the Uyghurs who were repatriated from Thailand to China on February 27 of this year.

According to the Thai newspaper Al-Milla, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xu Datong received the Thai delegation and held talks with Qi Yanjun, Vice Foreign Minister in charge of daily affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, about the visit. During the talks, the Chinese side provided the Thai delegation with information about the resettlement conditions of the Uyghurs returning from Thailand. It is not yet clear who the Thai delegation will meet among the 40 Uyghurs repatriated to China on February 27.

According to Al-Milla, Thai government spokesman Jirayu stated that the delegation will be divided into two groups to visit Uyghur families residing within 100 kilometers of Kashgar, and that both groups will be accompanied by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The sudden return of 40 Uyghurs to China by Thai authorities on February 27, after more than 11 years of detention in Thailand, was not only condemned by human rights organizations, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the High Commissioner for Refugees, and the European Parliament, but also drew sanctions from the US government.

The US State Department announced a visa ban on Thai officials responsible for the repatriation of the Uyghurs. However, reports indicate that Thai Deputy Prime Minister Vachaichai told reporters before departing for Kashgar on March 18 that the delegation would not be able to visit every Uyghur because the distances between them were too great and that they would communicate via video link with those they could not visit

18/03/2025

China continues to plunder East Turkistan's natural resources and expand its exploration and drilling operations, aggressively promoting what it claims is a "new breakthrough" in its new strategic mineral exploration campaign.

According to a report published by the Chinese East Turkistan Tengri Tag news agency on March 17, by the end of 2024, under the so-called "14th Five-Year Plan," all mineral exploration targets in East Turkistan in 14 categories had been completed ahead of schedule, and six mining projects had been completed at rates exceeding established standards.

According to the report, natural gas reserves in the Shajingzi 3 area of Aksu City increased by 60 billion cubic meters. Coal seam gas in the South Junggar Basin between the Manas and Santonghe rivers increased by 65.3 billion cubic meters. Natural gas reserves in the Saiyubu Stabilized Area Project in Urumqi City increased by 100 billion cubic meters. Shale gas reserves in the Jangalsay area of Zhirzhen County increased by 105.3 billion cubic meters. In addition, a series of new oil and natural gas reserves were discovered in 12 oil and natural gas fields in the Junggar Basin.

The report stated that since 2023, exploration has focused on a group of large mines, including the Hejing Nurkhu Iron Mine, the Qumul Shoji Kariz Iron-Titanium Mine, the Khotan Zhong Yulgonsai Lithium Mine, the Khotan Khoshaoyun Lead-Zinc Mine, the Ulughchat Sabayarde Gold Mine, and the Chirchin Pashginki Gold Mine, significantly increasing the amount of mineral resources. In 2023, 12 new large resource bases were formed in Maralbeshi-Atush, including one billion tons of high-grade iron and 10 million tons of high-grade titanium. In 2024, six new resource bases were formed in Qumul and Ya-Shoji Kariz, including one billion tons of high-grade iron and 10 million tons of high-grade titanium.

According to the Geological Exploration Department of the Autonomous Administration of the Uyghur Autonomous Region, financial investment will increase in 2025, with 917 million yuan allocated to 181 projects focused on strategic mineral resources, including oil, natural gas, iron, manganese, chromium, vanadium, and cobalt.

18/03/2025

The Hong Kong-based Changjiang Hejie Group plans to sell a port in Panama, drawing sharp criticism from the Chinese regime.

According to a New York Times report on March 17, the Hong Kong-based Changjiang Hejie Group plans to sell ports in Panama and other regions to an investment group led by an American capital management firm. The Chinese regime has strongly criticized the deal, warning that it will lead to China losing its influence over important maritime routes.

This criticism reflects a shift in China's policy of controlling ports in Panama and other international ports. Soon after President Trump took office, he expressed concern that China was exerting excessive influence over the Panama Canal. At the time, China ridiculed his remarks.

However, the Hong Kong newspaper Takongbao, considered a mouthpiece of China, criticized the port sale plan. In an analytical article published Thursday, the newspaper criticized the Hong Kong-based Changjiang Hejie Group's plan. Changjiang Hejie plans to sell ports on both sides of the Panama Canal and more than 40 other ports worldwide to an investment group led by US investment giant BlackRock for $19 billion.

Tacongbao is China's voice in Hong Kong and has been praised by Chinese President Xi Jinping. To prevent others from misunderstanding the purpose of this analysis, the government body overseeing China's policy in Hong Kong immediately posted this article on its website.

18/03/2025

According to a special report from Reuters on March 14, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations took a tougher stance toward China in their statement issued last Friday in La Malbaie, Canada, expressing increased support for Taiwan and reversing some of the conciliatory language in previous statements that included the "One China" policy.

Meanwhile, in their statement, the G7 foreign ministers condemned China's policies toward Taiwan and expressed concern about China's expansion of its nuclear arsenal, its activities in the South China Sea, and its market policies.

In response to the G7 foreign ministers' statement, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Canada said they "ignored the facts and China's position, seriously interfered in China's internal affairs, and made public accusations against China."

The spokesperson added, "China firmly opposes the G7's actions that harm China's sovereignty," and that "the key to safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is adherence to the One China principle."

It is well known that the Chinese government has increased its political and military pressure on Taiwan since 2016, when the Democratic Progressive Party, which does not support the "One China" framework, returned to power in Taiwan. Some analysts raise the possibility of China occupying Taiwan by military force.

On February 13, the US State Department removed the phrase "We do not support Taiwanese independence" from its website, expressing its hope that the dispute between Taiwan and China would be resolved peacefully. Some analysts have suggested that this would make it more difficult for China to occupy Taiwan and increase the likelihood of widespread international recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign, independent state.

17/03/2025

The European Parliament has launched an investigation into bribery linked to Chinese technology company Huawei.

According to Al Jazeera on March 14, Belgian authorities have arrested several individuals as part of the European Parliament's investigation into bribery linked to the Chinese technology company Huawei. The suspects have been involved in bribery activities since 2021, concealing their bribery under the guise of lobbying for Huawei through lavish gifts, meetings, and parties.

Investigators are also investigating money laundering related to meeting expenses. After searching 21 locations in Belgium and Portugal, a judge ordered the offices of two parliamentary assistants in Strasbourg to be sealed, but details about the suspects have not yet been revealed.

Huawei currently has nine accredited representatives in Europe, who have access to meetings with members of the European Parliament. However, they are currently barred from entering the Parliament building.

17/03/2025

China continues to intensify its plunder of natural resources in East Turkistan, planning to transfer the exploitation rights of 171 additional mines to Chinese companies.

According to the website of the Natural Resources Authority of the so-called "Uyghur Autonomous Region," a promotional meeting for the 2025 East Turkistan Mining Rights Transfer Project will be held in Aksu on March 18. During this meeting, the project to transfer exploitation rights to 171 mines, including copper, iron, gold, lithium, and other rare metals, will be specifically promoted.

So far, more than 180 entities have registered to participate in the meeting, including Chinese central enterprises, state-owned enterprises, private companies, and financial institutions.

According to the report, three consecutive promotional meetings for the 2024 Mining Rights Transfer Project were held in the cities of Hotan, Gulja, and Tianjin. This year, China plans to increase the number of mining licenses at the so-called "autonomous region" level to more than 200.

According to the Mining Rights Management Department of the Natural Resources Administration of the so-called "Uyghur Autonomous Region," 558 mines across East Turkistan were transferred in 2024, generating revenues of 290 billion yuan.

Occupied East Turkistan boasts extremely abundant mineral resources, with 153 different types of minerals discovered to date, and reserves identified for 103 types. China uses the resources plundered from East Turkistan solely for its own needs, while the people of East Turkistan, the true owners of these vast natural resources, live in poverty. In addition to continuing its ethnic genocide, China is plundering East Turkistan's resources on a massive scale, using advanced technologies, and expanding the scope of this plunder.

15/03/2025

The European Parliament passed a resolution on Thursday condemning Thailand for its lese-majeste law and the deportation of Uyghurs to China.

In its statement, the European Parliament stated that Thai authorities violated international law by deporting at least 40 Uyghur refugees to China, where they face risks of arbitrary detention, torture and serious human rights violations, despite offers from other safe countries to resettle them.

Before their deportation, these individuals had been detained in Thai immigration centres for over a decade, with reports indicating that at least five Uyghurs, including minors, died due to inhumane conditions.

According to the statement, Thailand's lese-majeste provisions, under Section 112 of its Criminal Code, are not in line with the kingdom's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The European legislative body's resolution includes the following points:

Condemns the deportation of Uyghur refugees to China; calls on the Thai authorities to immediately halt any further forced returns of refugees, asylum seekers and political dissidents to countries where their lives are at risk.

Urges the Thai government to grant the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) unrestricted access to all detained Uyghur asylum seekers and provide transparent information on their status.

Calls on China to respect the fundamental rights of the deported Uyghurs, ensure transparency about their whereabouts, grant the UNHCR access to them and release those detained

Calls on Thailand to ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol thereto and to implement a transparent, fair and humane asylum system.

Stresses that Thailand is an important EU partner; encourages Thailand to strengthen its institutions in line with democratic principles and international human rights standards; calls on the government to amend or repeal Section 112 and other repressive laws to guarantee the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and political participation.

15/03/2025

On March 14, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a visa ban on foreign government officials involved in the forced return of Uyghurs to China, including Thailand.

The statement indicated that the ban will not be limited to Thailand, which recently returned 40 Uyghurs to China, but will also include current and former foreign government officials responsible for the return of Uyghurs to China. This is the first time the US government has held foreign government officials involved in the return of Uyghurs to China accountable and imposed visa bans on them.

Marco Rubio's written statement on March 14 read: "Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy. This restriction will apply to current and former foreign government officials responsible for or complicit in the forced return of Uyghurs or other minorities in need of protection from China. We are resolutely combating China's attempts to pressure governments to return Uyghurs or other ethnic groups to China. These individuals are subjected to corporal punishment and enforced disappearance."

Marco Rubio had previously issued a written statement after the Thai government forcibly returned 40 Uyghurs to China on February 27 after they had been detained in Thailand for more than 11 years, expressing his "strongest possible condemnation" of the Thai government's actions. Rubio said in that statement, "As a long-standing ally of Thailand, we are deeply shocked by this action."

Thai Defense Minister Watchai Chai stated at the time that the decision to return 40 Uyghurs to China on February 27 of this year was a joint decision made by him, the Thai Foreign Minister, and the Minister of Justice.

Marco Rubio stated in his statement that the ban would take effect immediately. The statement read, "I will implement this policy immediately by imposing visa restrictions on current or former Thai government officials responsible for or complicit in the forced return of 40 Uyghurs from Thailand on February 27."

14/03/2025

Last week, a report circulating on social media revealed that a resident of the Feyzabad area of Kashgar Prefecture filmed himself eating lunch and sent it to his supervisor. During phone interviews conducted by our correspondent with residents of the area, it became clear that this was not an isolated incident, but rather one of a series of Ramadan restrictions implemented in Feyzabad to force residents to provide evidence that they were not fasting.

Over the years, Chinese authorities have taken measures to prevent residents from fasting, including holding threatening meetings, issuing notices, conducting house-to-house inspections during the day, and conducting nighttime patrols to prevent residents from eating the suhoor meal. They have also implemented measures such as keeping restaurants open in markets, distributing food and drinks to the public, and holding public banquets. Based on the responses, it appears that Chinese authorities, unconvinced, have forced residents in some areas to provide evidence that they are not fasting this year.

We contacted the relevant Uyghur authorities for information about these restrictions. An officer from the State Security Police Department of the Kochar District Police Office said that fasting is prohibited this year, as it has been in previous years, but he was unable to provide information on the various measures implemented this year. A police officer who answered our call from Faizabad insisted that local residents were strictly prohibited from fasting. However, when we asked him whether foreign Muslim tourists were allowed to fast, he said he had no information on the matter. He asked the police chief for information on the matter, but the chief was unable to provide any convincing statement. He said he would request information from the relevant authorities and would get back to us.

Last week, a news report surfaced that a Faizabad resident had recorded a video of himself eating lunch and sent it to his supervisor.

14/03/2025

The Chinese military has amended its joint regulations, emphasizing preparedness for war and overseas expansion.

According to Voice of America's March 13 report, the Chinese military recently amended three basic military regulations, further strengthening its approach to war preparedness. The amended joint regulations, based on the Chinese Military Internal Affairs System, the Chinese Military Discipline System, and the new version of the Chinese Military Field Regulations, will officially take effect on April 1.

Analysts have noted that an important indicator of the so-called "building of a world-class military" is the ability to confront sudden and prolonged wars at any time. They have noted that this amendment to the regulations is a significant step toward achieving this goal.

In February, Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an order officially announcing the amended joint regulations. Recently, Chinese state media has intensified its campaign to explain these regulations, repeatedly emphasizing the central theme of "preparing for war."

Istiqlal English

23/03/2025

22/03/2025

22/03/2025

22/03/2025

22/03/2025

21/03/2025

21/03/2025

21/03/2025

21/03/2025

18/03/2025

18/03/2025

18/03/2025

17/03/2025

17/03/2025

15/03/2025

15/03/2025

14/03/2025

14/03/2025

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share