“A Multiethnic Country? Concentration Camps, Police State, Genocide!”China’s Nationalities and Minorities, Self-Governed, Multicultural, and Multi-Religious: Free Traveling Through Tibet or Xinjiang—and the Political Struggles Within and Around Taiwanand Hong Kong

This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the historical, political, and ethnic complexities of China’s multiethnic landscape as well as its sovereignty policy, focusing on the regions of Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. It begins by discussing China’s officially recognized 56 ethnic groups and ethnic minority policies of affirmative action, autonomous regions, and prefectures. An emphasis is laid on the dynamics between the Han majority and the autonomy granted to ethnic minorities, including the Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Mongolians. The chapter examines the historical context of Tibet, focusing on its religious and political structure, British involvement, and the eventual integration into the People’s Republic of China. The case of Tibet is examined through the lens of feudal poverty, Western romanticization, and the modern complexities surrounding the Dalai Lama’s political influence. The chapter also covers the Taiwan question, exploring its colonial history, the impact of the Kuomintang (KMT) regime, and the island’s ongoing political divide over relations with mainland China. Taiwan’s geopolitical importance, particularly its semiconductor industry, is explored in the context of the global US-China rivalry. The chapter also delves into the 2019 Hong Kong protests and their historical context, exploring the intersection of economic inequality, foreign influence, and social unrest of unemployed and underpaid youth. Lastly, the chapter examines the case of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, analyzing, through a historical contextualization, recent developments and Western media framing around China’s counterterrorism measures, reeducation camps and vocational training centers, and accusations of genocide, with regard to current geopolitical constellations.