China: The Potential Complications Arising From Xinjiang

Chinese President Hu Jintao left Italy to return to China on July 8, missing the G-8 summit and a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, to deal with ongoing violence between Uighurs and Han Chinese in Xinjiang province. The unrest and the subsequent crackdown present Beijing with several problems. The central government wants to prevent anti-Uighur violence within China, and is concerned that the crackdown could damage relations with other nations or lead Islamist militants to consider targeting Chinese interests abroad, or both.