Page 125 - Communist Chinas Policy of Oppression in East Turkestan

121

MONGOLIA ast
E
Turkestan
is known as
Gulja
Ürümqi the Kuwait
Qapqal
Bezeqliq of the
KYRGYZSTAN Qizil Yubao CHINA twenty-first
century, be-
cause it
Luntai
Quntura
possesses
Lulan rich under-
Takla makan Desert Miran The Silk ground min-
Tarim Basin
eral
Road
Dandan Old Niya Air- Road reserves.
ports
Coal Railway This fact
Archaeo- Line
logical Peaks makes the
Site Lead and
Gold Zinc region in-
beds Uranium
Oil wells Oases dispensable
Forbidden for China.
Oil pipeline
TIBET region
These lands, which form the westernmost point of Chinese terri-
tory, were used by the Chinese as a buffer zone against the Soviet threat
during the Cold War. These lands are thus of great interest to China for
its own security and that of the other countries in the region. Even if
Russia no longer poses a threat to China, China still maintains its land
and air forces in the region, and also keeps a large part of its nuclear ar-
senal there. Another important reason for the continuing presence of
China's forces in East Turkestan is to maintain the necessary control
over the local Muslim population.
However, geo-strategic concerns are not the only reason for
China's interest in controlling East Turkestan. As noted, the region also

possesses considerable natural resources, and the land is very produc-

Harun Yahya - Adnan Oktar