Changes in Chinese legal narratives about religious affairs in Xinjiang

Abstract

Policies introduced by the Chinese government in the name of fighting terrorism, religious extremism and separatism have significantly reshaped the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR)–even though securitization has not brought the ‘stability’ that the PRC government claims in its continuous defense of its policies. Analysis of Chinese legal documents can provide a clearer picture of the government’s intentions in the region, since they are almost free from the propaganda ballast abundant in Chinese policy documents. This article analyses recent amendments to two legal documents, the Religious Affairs Regulations and the Regulations of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on Religious Affairs. It discusses why certain articles were omitted, modified or added and what this can tell us about the situation in China and in particular in Xinjiang. It also suggests that Xinjiang has been a testing site for national religious policy, not just new surveillance methods.