Exile leaders say East Turkistan independence is needed to end abuses and remove China’s nuclear threat.
By The East Turkistan Post | May 29, 2026
WASHINGTON — East Turkistan, what Beijing calls ‘Xinjiang (New Territory),’ is the site of what the East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) describes as a combined campaign of genocide and nuclear expansion. The ETGE says no international mechanism has stopped the abuses. Furthermore, the group argues that the territory’s military role now affects global strategic stability. In its stated position, only East Turkistan independence can end the abuses and remove the strategic threat created by Beijing’s military buildup.
The ETGE says the root problem is China’s administration of East Turkistan. Consequently, the organisation argues that sovereignty restoration — not autonomy — is the only fundamental solution.
ETGE describes ongoing abuses linked to Chinese occupation
The ETGE says the current crisis accelerated after China launched its People’s War in 2014. The group cites mass internment, forced labour transfers, forced sterilisation, family separations, and organ harvesting as evidence of crimes against humanity. These claims are presented as ETGE allegations and have not been independently verified by The East Turkistan Post.
According to the ETGE, between 25,000 and 50,000 people are killed annually to feed a state-linked organ transplant system. The organisation also says nearly one million children have been separated from their families. It attributes these figures to its own reports and to congressional testimony.
The ETGE further argues that China’s March 2026 Ethnic Unity Law codifies the erosion of Turkic identity. ETGE Foreign Minister Salih Hudayar says the present crisis stems directly from the destruction of the East Turkistan Republic in 1949.
Chinese authorities consistently reject all allegations of genocide. They describe their policies in East Turkistan as lawful measures aimed at stability, development, and counterterrorism, according to official statements and state media.
For background, see our earlier report on the ETGE’s thirteenth-year genocide anniversary statement.
ETGE links East Turkistan independence to nuclear security concerns
The ETGE says East Turkistan also serves as a core site for China’s nuclear forces. It cites the Lop Nur test site, where China conducted 45 nuclear tests between 1964 and 1996. The group additionally says reports point to a secret underground test as recently as 2020. That claim is attributed to ETGE material and has not been independently verified.
Furthermore, the ETGE says satellite imagery shows more than 80 launch pads, hardened bunkers, and command nodes near the Qumul intercontinental ballistic missile silo fields. The group links this buildup to wider Chinese nuclear expansion. It also points to Pentagon projections that China could reach 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.
The East Turkistan Post could not independently verify the military infrastructure details or casualty figures included in ETGE documentation.
‘Beijing stages its nuclear arsenal aimed at the United States and its allies in the territory of its ongoing genocide,’ Hudayar said in a statement. ‘A restored, free, and independent East Turkistan would neutralize China’s nuclear threat.’
See also our report on ETGE’s appeal to President Trump ahead of the Beijing summit.
ETGE argues East Turkistan independence would weaken China’s strategic position
The ETGE says an independent East Turkistan would sever what it describes as China’s energy lifelines. The group claims roughly one-third of China’s oil and gas reserves are located in the territory. In addition, the ETGE says East Turkistan contains China’s largest beryllium reserves, as well as significant lithium and rare earth deposits.
The organisation argues those resources are important to Western defence supply chains. Therefore, it states that East Turkistan independence would reduce Beijing’s leverage over critical minerals globally.
The ETGE has urged the United States and other democracies to recognise East Turkistan as an occupied country. It has also called on the UN Special Committee on Decolonization to list the territory as a Non-Self-Governing Territory. Moreover, the organisation has asked the International Criminal Court to act on evidence submissions filed since 2020.
The ETGE states that East Turkistan independence is not only a moral and legal imperative but also a strategic necessity for global security. The organisation argues that the international community cannot achieve a stable rules-based order while East Turkistan remains under what it describes as colonial occupation.
The East Turkistan Post is an independent news publication. All claims are attributed to the ETGE or to sources cited in the material provided. Military, casualty, and resource claims from the ETGE have not been independently verified. Access restrictions inside East Turkistan limit on-the-ground confirmation.
