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China / Science
Science
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Stephen Chen in Beijing
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Published: 9:00am, 30 Apr, 2023
Why you can trust SCMP
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Xinjiang is far from the main economic and commercial centres of China. Photo: Xinhua
China should set up a second national capital in the far-western deserts of Xinjiang to strengthen its ties with the whole Eurasian land mass, a government-funded study has proposed.
The proposal aims to address geopolitical and environmental risks, rebalance the country’s economic centre of gravity and create new growth opportunities, according to researchers involved in the four-year project.
Xinjiang is located along the western border of China, far from the country’s economic and political centres. It is a vast region with a harsh climate, including extreme temperatures, arid deserts and high-altitude plateaus.
The region is also home to many ethnic minority groups, including Uygurs, Kazakhs and Mongolians, and borders Tibet.
Tensions between these groups and the Han Chinese majority have led to occasional violence and unrest, as well as allegations of widespread human rights abuses, which Beijing has strongly denied.
These challenges could potentially make it difficult to build a new capital in Xinjiang that is attractive to investors and able to support sustained economic growth.
30
Xinjiang is far from the main economic and commercial centres of China. Photo: Xinhua
China should set up a second national capital in the far-western deserts of Xinjiang to strengthen its ties with the whole Eurasian land mass, a government-funded study has proposed.
The proposal aims to address geopolitical and environmental risks, rebalance the country’s economic centre of gravity and create new growth opportunities, according to researchers involved in the four-year project.
Xinjiang is located along the western border of China, far from the country’s economic and political centres. It is a vast region with a harsh climate, including extreme temperatures, arid deserts and high-altitude plateaus.
The region is also home to many ethnic minority groups, including Uygurs, Kazakhs and Mongolians, and borders Tibet.
Tensions between these groups and the Han Chinese majority have led to occasional violence and unrest, as well as allegations of widespread human rights abuses, which Beijing has strongly denied.
These challenges could potentially make it difficult to build a new capital in Xinjiang that is attractive to investors and able to support sustained economic growth.
China punishes citizens for sharing information on Xinjiang: top security body
The paper did not give many details about how the functions of a capital would be split with Beijing, but it said the new city near major population centres such as Urumqi or Kashgar could help strengthen ties with ethnic minorities and promote national unity
They also pointed to the threat from natural disasters such as typhoons and rising sea levels, which could have serious implications for China’s economy and social stability.
In a paper published in Chinese-language journal Social Sciences in Xinjiang on April 21, the authors propose the establishment of a functional second capital city around Urumqi or other major cities in Xinjiang, which would serve as a political, economic, and cultural centre.
China / Science
Could China build a second capital in the far-western deserts of Xinjiang?
- A government-funded study says establishing a secondary capital would help rebalance the economy and boost links with Asia and Europe
- The paper also said the move could help address ethnic tensions in the region, which is home to many Uygurs and other minorities
Science+ FOLLOW
Stephen Chen in Beijing
+ FOLLOW
Published: 9:00am, 30 Apr, 2023
Why you can trust SCMP
135
30
Xinjiang is far from the main economic and commercial centres of China. Photo: Xinhua
China should set up a second national capital in the far-western deserts of Xinjiang to strengthen its ties with the whole Eurasian land mass, a government-funded study has proposed.
The proposal aims to address geopolitical and environmental risks, rebalance the country’s economic centre of gravity and create new growth opportunities, according to researchers involved in the four-year project.
Xinjiang is located along the western border of China, far from the country’s economic and political centres. It is a vast region with a harsh climate, including extreme temperatures, arid deserts and high-altitude plateaus.
The region is also home to many ethnic minority groups, including Uygurs, Kazakhs and Mongolians, and borders Tibet.
Tensions between these groups and the Han Chinese majority have led to occasional violence and unrest, as well as allegations of widespread human rights abuses, which Beijing has strongly denied.
These challenges could potentially make it difficult to build a new capital in Xinjiang that is attractive to investors and able to support sustained economic growth.
30
Xinjiang is far from the main economic and commercial centres of China. Photo: Xinhua
China should set up a second national capital in the far-western deserts of Xinjiang to strengthen its ties with the whole Eurasian land mass, a government-funded study has proposed.
The proposal aims to address geopolitical and environmental risks, rebalance the country’s economic centre of gravity and create new growth opportunities, according to researchers involved in the four-year project.
Xinjiang is located along the western border of China, far from the country’s economic and political centres. It is a vast region with a harsh climate, including extreme temperatures, arid deserts and high-altitude plateaus.
The region is also home to many ethnic minority groups, including Uygurs, Kazakhs and Mongolians, and borders Tibet.
Tensions between these groups and the Han Chinese majority have led to occasional violence and unrest, as well as allegations of widespread human rights abuses, which Beijing has strongly denied.
These challenges could potentially make it difficult to build a new capital in Xinjiang that is attractive to investors and able to support sustained economic growth.
China punishes citizens for sharing information on Xinjiang: top security body
14 Apr 2023
The paper did not give many details about how the functions of a capital would be split with Beijing, but it said the new city near major population centres such as Urumqi or Kashgar could help strengthen ties with ethnic minorities and promote national unityThey also pointed to the threat from natural disasters such as typhoons and rising sea levels, which could have serious implications for China’s economy and social stability.
In a paper published in Chinese-language journal Social Sciences in Xinjiang on April 21, the authors propose the establishment of a functional second capital city around Urumqi or other major cities in Xinjiang, which would serve as a political, economic, and cultural centre.
