The East Turkistan Government-in-Exile (ETGE) has condemned the Syrian government’s growing alignment with China on security and counterterrorism cooperation, warning that the partnership directly endangers Uyghurs and lends legitimacy to Beijing’s repression in East Turkistan, what China calls “Xinjiang (New Territory).”
The condemnation followed a joint statement issued in Beijing on November 17 after talks between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in which both governments pledged to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, reaffirmed Syria’s support for the “One China” policy, and committed to ensuring Syrian territory would not be used against Chinese security interests.
According to the ETGE, this alignment adopts Beijing’s narrative on Uyghurs and undermines international protections for Uyghur civilians and former fighters currently in Syria.
Uyghurs drawn into Syria through manipulation, ETGE says
The ETGE says tens of thousands of Uyghurs were drawn into the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) in Syria through what it described as coordinated manipulation by Chinese and Turkish intelligence networks. Uyghurs were allegedly promised that participation in the Syrian conflict would eventually lead to support for the liberation of East Turkistan.
Instead, the ETGE says, many were deployed alongside armed factions such as Jabhat al-Nusra, later rebranded as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and thousands were killed in frontline battles unrelated to their national cause.
The government-in-exile maintains that the TIP, founded in Pakistan in September 1997, functions as a false-flag structure used to associate the East Turkistan independence movement with terrorism and global jihad, providing Beijing with justification for repression.
“The new Syrian government’s vow to expand cooperation with China on so-called ‘security’ and ‘counter-terrorism’ is a profound betrayal of the thousands of Uyghurs who died fighting for the Syrian revolution.” — Dr. Mamtimin Ala, President, East Turkistan Government-in-Exile
📰📢East Turkistan Condemns Syria’s Alignment with China as Betrayal of Uyghurs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The East Turkistan Government-in-Exile (ETGE) condemns, in the strongest terms, the HTS‑dominated Syrian government’s alignment with the People’s Republic of China on so‑called… pic.twitter.com/dele09ITuV
— East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) (@ETExileGov) November 17, 2025
Risk of forced transfers to China
The ETGE warned that closer Syria–China cooperation raises the risk that Uyghurs in Syria could be detained or transferred to China, in violation of international law, including the principle of non-refoulement.
Although Syrian officials have publicly denied reports of planned transfers of Uyghurs, the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile pointed to language in the joint statement with China emphasizing security cooperation and counter-terrorism coordination.
The government-in-exile warned that any transfer of Uyghurs to China would expose them to imprisonment, torture, or enforced disappearance.
ETGE rejects terrorism narrative
The government-in-exile emphasized that East Turkistan’s struggle is a national liberation movement rooted in the right to self-determination and decolonization, and is not connected to terrorism, extremism, or religious fundamentalism.
It argued that Beijing has used the presence of Uyghur fighters in Syria since 2014 to justify mass repression at home, including mass detention, forced labor, family separation, and the destruction of religious and cultural life—policies widely documented by international researchers and human rights organizations.
The ETGE called on Syria, the United States, and international partners to protect Uyghurs in Syria, prevent forced transfers to China, and separate vulnerable individuals from compromised militant structures.
“We call on the Syrian government to immediately halt any actions that threaten the safety of Uyghurs in Syria or undermine East Turkistan’s national liberation struggle.” — Salih Hudayar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Security, East Turkistan Government-in-Exile
