The Essence of East Turkistan in the Relations of China – EU

High respected ministers of Foreign Affairs and High Representative Borell,

I’m writing this letter regarding the Informal meeting of foreign affairs ministers (Gymnich) where a strategic discussion about China - EU relations, and current foreign, and security policy issues will take place.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there have been two predominant challenges in international stages- the first is how to end the war in Ukraine and the second one is how to handle the threat of a rising China. This has caused the current international order and system to erode and go through a decisive period for the next generation of the century. The rising China is at the center of the decisive change and huge challenge. China has put forward the next three piecewise strategic development plans (2020-2050). The object of the new development plan is theoretically based on a‘’ community of common destiny for mankind’ which means the future of international order.

Parallelly China’s global expansion has China continued its repression in East Turkistan, Tibet, and inner Mogologien to consolidate further its power in these regions. Specifically in East Turkistan China used inhuman and horrific measures to conduct an ongoing genocide against Uyghurs and other Turkic people. China thinks that it has the ultimate motive to ‘’pacify’’ the people of East Turkistan because of the essence of East Turkistan. In terms of geopolitical, economic, resource, and demographic perspectives East Turkistan has a crucial role if China will be successful or not in China's great vision to be a hegemonic leader in the international area.

Nearly seventy-three years after China’s violent and illegal invasion of East Turkistan, it has become clear to part of the international community that the Chinese state is breaching international peace and conducting genocide against the people of East Turkistan. China’s historical and current policies and treatment of the people of East Turkistan are serious violations of the UN Charter, Chapter VII, Article 39. As is stated in General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV), “The subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination, and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and cooperation.”

China has been breaching international peace through genocide and has adamantly rebuffed every attempt by the international community to address human rights violations in East Turkistan by claiming that the region is its own internal issue and that it has no relation to the concept of “international peace.” China’s claim has no substantial basis for the following reasons: first, the people of East Turkistan are part of the international community. Therefore, the destruction of the Uyghur and other Turkic people in East Turkistan in whole or in part is necessarily an issue of international peace. Second, it is apparent that China’s genocidal policies in East Turkistan could be an effective tactic or model to crack down on others opposed to the autocratic regime, or who present peaceful demands for secession from China’s autocratic international partners.

Therefore, have EU member states to take the essence of East Turkistan and China’s genocidal policy into consideration and should build a new EU- China Strategic Outlook with regard that:

1. We call on EU member states to become aware of the fact that the fundamental root cause of this Genocide is the occupation. As we work on the steps ahead, this perspective must be kept in mind.
2. We call on EU member states to place the occupied East Turkistan under international supervision for the protection of the Uyghurs and other Turkic people there and the termination of the Chinese colonization.
3. We call on EU member states to uphold their legal and moral obligation towards the people of East Turkistan to ensure accountability for alleged violations of international law and assure pressure on China to end its occupation of East Turkistan.
4. We call on EU member states to act to hold the Chinese government accountable for its crimes and the ongoing genocide. We call on governments to realize their responsibilities under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention and take all necessary measures to end the ongoing genocide of Uyghurs and other Turkic people in East Turkistan.
5. We call on EU member states to defend democracy against China's atrocity and ensure international peace and security by providing the people of East Turkistan the freedom to determine their future. Hence there are no alternative ways to preserve the existence of the people of East Turkistan as a nation.

With high respect:

Hidayet Oğuzhan

President of the International Union of East Turkistan Organizations

10/05/2023