Secession in China

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Map of China's prefectural level divisions as believed by the Chinese government China Prefectural-level.png
Map of China's prefectural level divisions as believed by the Chinese government
Heihe-Tengchong Line Heihe-tengchong-line.svg
Heihe–Tengchong Line

Secession in China refers to several secessionist movements in the People's Republic of China. [lower-alpha 1] Many current separatist movements in China arise from the country's ethnic issues. Some of the factors that have created these ethnic issues include history, nationalism, economic and political disparity, religion, and other factors. China has historically had tensions between the majority Han and other minority ethnic groups, particularly in rural and border regions. Historically, other ruling ethnicities, such as the Manchu of the early-Qing dynasty, experienced ethnic issues as well. [1]

Contents

Republic of China

Kuomintang leader Sun Yat-sen issued a statement calling for the right of self-determination of all Chinese ethnic groups at a party conference in 1924:

“The Kuomintang can state with solemnity that it recognizes the right of self-determination of all national minorities in China and it will organize a free and united Chinese republic.” [2]

People’s Republic of China

The 1931 constitution of the Chinese Soviet Republic accepted secession as legal, with article 14 stating

“The Soviet government of China recognizes the right of self-determination of the national minorities in China, their right to complete separation from China, and to the formation of an independent state for each national minority.”

However, the CCP's change from a revolutionary group to the dominant state power in 1949 led to this language being left out of later constitutions and any legal chance for secession disappeared from Chinese law. [3]

List of secessionist movements in the People's Republic of China

Proposed stateCurrent political status within the PRCCapital city of regionArea (km2) of regionTotal population of regionMain independence movementMain ethnic group seeking independenceMap
Kokbayraq flag.svg East Turkestan (Xinjiang) Autonomous Region Ürümqi 1,664,89724,870,000 East Turkestan independence movement Uyghur people Xinjiang in China (de-facto) (+all claims hatched).svg
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Hong Kong 2,7557,500,700 Hong Kong independence movement Han Chinese of Hong Kong Hong Kong in China (zoomed) (+all claims hatched).svg
Flag of Tibet.svg Tibet (Xizang, Qinghai, Parts of Sichuan) Autonomous Region; Province (Qinghai, Parts of Sichuan) Lhasa 1,948,4008,806,722 Tibetan independence movement Tibetan people Greater Tibet locator map.svg

Minor movements

Movements

A 2010 population density map of the territories claimed by the PRC. Dark blue shaded regions reflect territory claimed but not controlled or governed by the PRC. PRC Population Density.svg
A 2010 population density map of the territories claimed by the PRC. Dark blue shaded regions reflect territory claimed but not controlled or governed by the PRC.
  
Area (km2)PopulationDensity
China9,650,000 (100%)1,300,000,000 (100%)134.7/km2
5 provinces5,246,400 (54.45%)79,533,000 (6.12%)15.16/km2
Inner Mongolia 1,183,000 (12.28% )24,051,000
Xinjiang 1,660,000 (17.23%)20,952,000
Tibet 1,228,400 (12.75%)2,842,000
Qinghai 721,000 (7.48%)5,516,000
Gansu 454,000 (4.71%)26,172,000
China proper4,403,605 (45.55%)1,221,000,000 (93.89%)277.27/km2
Source: National Bureau of Statistics
Autonomous regions of China China autonomous regions.svg
Autonomous regions of China

Hong Kong

In 1997, the colony of Hong Kong was retroceded to China, leading to the creation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Under the jointly agreed upon Hong Kong Basic Law, the Hong Kong SAR would maintain its autonomy for 50 years until 2047, after which point, the region would assume full control by China. Hong Kong's autonomy, and its end in 2047, has created contention between those who support the Chinese government, and those who do not. [9] A particular source of contention in recent years is with the structure of the Hong Kong government, where the Chief Executive is appointed by the Chinese government while local elections are held directly. [10]

In 2019, the Hong Kong extradition bill was proposed, which sparked protests throughout Hong Kong. [11] During the protests which followed, the pro-democracy camp gained general support alongside the Hong Kong independence movement to a small extent as well. Many of the anti-governmental groups supported localism and universal suffrage in all Hong Kong elections. In May 2020, the National People's Congress of China passed a decision concerning Hong Kong national security legislation, whereby "secession" and "subversion" were made illegal. This move has meant that pro-independence calls are now illegal by the new decision, although some still do call for independence despite the changes to the law. In Hong Kong, the pro-democracy camp enjoys general support, though the passing of the decision by the NPC has made protesting and the organization of protests more difficult. [12]

Macau

The Macau independence movement is the political movement that advocates for the independence of Macau from China. Despite receiving little attention within Macau, the issue was raised in the Legislative Assembly of Macau following the Hong Kong Legislative Council oath-taking controversy. In 2017, several Chinese media outlets warned against discussion of Macau independence, fearing that speculation would lead to further action. [13] [14] [15] The Swedish magazine The Perspective speculated that the relative lack of independence sentiment in Macau stems from the SAR's reliance on gaming and tourism revenue from the Mainland. Macau is currently one of the richest regions in the world, and its wealth is derived almost entirely from gambling, which is illegal in the PRC. [16] [14]

Tibet

After the failed Tibetan uprising, some Tibetans followed the Dalai Lama into India, establishing a government-in-exile called the Central Tibetan Administration. [17]

The movement is no longer supported by the 14th Dalai Lama who, although having advocated it from 1961 to the late 1970s, proposed a sort of high-level autonomy in a speech in Strasbourg in 1988, [18] and has since then restricted his position to either autonomy for the Tibetan people in the Tibet Autonomous Region within China, [19] or extending the area of the autonomy to include parts of neighboring Chinese provinces inhabited by Tibetans. [20]

Xinjiang

Several armed insurgency groups are fighting the Chinese (PRC) government in Xinjiang, namely, the Turkestan Islamic Party and the East Turkestan Liberation Organization, which some people consider to be associated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. [21]

Inner Mongolia

South Mongolian independence is supported by these political parties: the Inner Mongolian People's Party, a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization; the Southern Mongolian Democratic Alliance; [22] and the Mongolian Liberal Union Party. [23]

Manchukuo

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period Five Dynasties Ten Kingdoms 923 CE.png
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period

The Manchukuo Government (formerly known as the Manchukuo Temporary Government until 2019) is an organisation established in 2004 in Hong Kong. [24] On its website, it claims to be the government in exile of Manchukuo, a Japanese puppet state with limited recognition, which controlled Manchuria from 1932 to 1945; it seeks to revive the state and to separate it from the People's Republic of China, which controls its claimed territory. [25] On its website, it claims to have merged with other Manchu independence organizations as of 2019.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese nationalism</span>

Chinese nationalism is a form of nationalism in which asserts that the Chinese people are a nation and promotes the cultural and national unity of all Chinese people. According to Sun Yat-sen's philosophy in the Three Principles of the People, Chinese nationalism is evaluated as multi-ethnic nationalism, which should be distinguished from Han nationalism or local ethnic nationalism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Han nationalism</span> Ethnicity-exclusive form of Chinese nationalism

Han nationalism is a form of ethnic nationalism asserting ethnically Han people as the exclusive constituents of the Chinese nation. It is often in dialogue with other conceptions of Chinese nationalism, often mutually-exclusive or otherwise contradictory ones. Han people are the dominant ethnic group in both states claiming to represent the Chinese nation: the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Languages of China</span>

There are several hundred languages in China. The predominant language is Standard Chinese, which is based on Beijingese, but there are hundreds of related Chinese languages, collectively known as Hanyu, that are spoken by 92% of the population. The Chinese languages are typically divided into seven major language groups, and their study is a distinct academic discipline. They differ as much from each other morphologically and phonetically as do English, German and Danish, but meanwhile share the same writing system (Hanzi) and are mutually intelligible in written form. There are in addition approximately 300 minority languages spoken by the remaining 8% of the population of China. The ones with greatest state support are Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur and Zhuang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibetan independence movement</span> Independence movement in East Asia

The Tibetan independence movement is the political movement advocating for the reversal of the 1950 annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China, and the separation and independence of Greater Tibet from China.

Regionalism is a political ideology that seeks to increase the political power, influence and self-determination of the people of one or more subnational regions. It focuses on the "development of a political or social system based on one or more" regions, and/or the national, normative, or economic interests of a specific region, group of regions or another subnational entity, gaining strength from or aiming to strengthen the "consciousness of and loyalty to a distinct region with a homogeneous population", similarly to nationalism. More specifically, "regionalism refers to three distinct elements: movements demanding territorial autonomy within unitary states; the organization of the central state on a regional basis for the delivery of its policies including regional development policies; political decentralization and regional autonomy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddhism in Mongolia</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Tibet (1950–present)</span>

The history of Tibet from 1950 to the present includes the Chinese annexation of Tibet, during which Tibetan representatives signed the controversial Seventeen Point Agreement following the Battle of Chamdo and establishing an autonomous administration led by the 14th Dalai Lama under Chinese sovereignty. Subsequent socialist reforms and other unpopular policies of the Chinese Communist Party led to armed uprisings, eventually assisted by the CIA, and their violent suppression. During the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the 14th Dalai Lama escaped to northern India for fear of being captured by Chinese forces. He formed the Central Tibetan Administration and rescinded the Seventeen Point Agreement. In 1965, the majority of Tibet's land mass, including all of U-Tsang and parts of Kham and Amdo, was established as the Tibet Autonomous Region. Tibetans suffered along with the rest of China during the Great Chinese Famine and the Cultural Revolution under episodes of starvation, religious repression, destruction of cultural sites, forced labour, and political persecution. US-China rapprochement in the 1970s saw an end to Washington's support for Tibetan guerillas. Amid broader reforms across the country, China adopted policies to improve conditions in Tibet. Since the 2000s, it has invested heavily in the region but generated controversies due to the sinicization of Tibet. Human rights abuses remain a concern especially where it comes to freedom of religion and political prisoners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1959 Tibetan uprising</span> Uprising in Lhasa, Tibet, against the Peoples Republic of China

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pan-Mongolism</span> Irredentist political view

Pan-Mongolism is an irredentist idea that advocates cultural and political solidarity of Mongols. The proposed territory, called "Greater Mongolia" or "Whole Mongolia" usually includes the independent state of Mongolia, the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia, and the Russian region of Buryatia. Sometimes the autonomous republic Tuva, the Altai Republic and parts of Xinjiang, Zabaykalsky Krai, and Irkutsk Oblast are included as well. As of 2006, all areas in Greater Mongolia except Mongolia have non-Mongol majorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mongolia under Qing rule</span> 1635–1911 Chinese rule over Mongolia

Mongolia under Qing rule was the rule of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty of China over the Mongolian Plateau, including the four Outer Mongolian aimags and the six Inner Mongolian aimags from the 17th century to the end of the dynasty. The term "Mongolia" is used here in the broader historical sense, and includes an area much larger than the modern-day state of Mongolia. By the early 1630s Ligdan Khan saw much of his power weakened due to the disunity of the Mongol tribes. He was subsequently defeated by the Later Jin dynasty and died soon afterwards. His son Ejei handed the Yuan imperial seal over to Hong Taiji in 1635, thus ending the rule of the Northern Yuan dynasty in Inner Mongolia. However, the Khalkha Mongols in Outer Mongolia continued to rule until they were overrun by the Dzungar Khanate in 1690, and they submitted to the Qing dynasty in 1691.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibet (1912–1951)</span> Former de facto state in East Asia

Tibet was a de facto independent state in East Asia that lasted from the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1912 until its annexation by the People's Republic of China in 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protests and uprisings in Tibet since 1950</span>

Protests and uprisings in Tibet against the government of the People's Republic of China have occurred since 1950, and include the 1959 uprising, the 2008 uprising, and the subsequent self-immolation protests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchurian nationalism</span> Ethnic nationalism of the Manchu people of China

Manchurian nationalism or Manchu nationalism refers to the ethnic nationalism of the Manchu people or the territorial nationalism of the inhabitants of Manchuria, regardless of ethnic origin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cantonese nationalism</span> Nationalist movement in East Asia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy</span>

The Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People provides a framework for the governance of Tibet within the People's Republic of China (PRC). In 2008 a group led by the Dalai Lama presented the memorandum to China. Beijing invited Dalai Lama's delegation to talk about his middle path, which promoted autonomy rather than full independence. Beijing rejected the proposal vehemently, claiming that it was as good as giving independence to Tibet. Following the presentation of the Memorandum, talks between China and Dalai Lama's envoys that had started in 2002 broke down. The last communication was in January 2010.

Local ethnic nationalism, simply local nationalism or local ethnic chauvinism refers to the tendency of minority nationalities to secede from China.

References

  1. ↑ Feuerwerker, Albert (1975). Rebellion in Nineteenth-Century China. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. p. 60.
  2. ↑ Quoted from National and Minority Policies, The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science: Report of China 277, 1951, pp148-149
  3. ↑ Hales, Ben. "The Tangled History of the 'Tibet Card'". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  4. ↑ Areddy, James T. (23 April 2022). "Shanghai Lockdown Bolsters a Fringe Independence Movement". Wall Street Journal.
  5. ↑ "Chinese Regional Separatist Movements". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
  6. ↑ "独派人士下月聚首华府 向中国霸权说不". 2019-09-22. Archived from the original on 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  7. ↑ "世界人权日 伦敦多族裔游行促向北京问责 — 普通话主页". 2023-12-17. Archived from the original on 2023-12-17. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  8. ↑ tibetanreview (2022-08-06). "Sinicization will not succeed, Basuria will be free again". Tibetan Review. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  9. ↑ Chan, Wilfred; Yu, Elaine (16 June 2015). "Is Hong Kong's fight for democracy in its final round?". CNN. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  10. ↑ "Is universal suffrage as out of reach as ever for Hong Kong?". South China Morning Post. 2019-09-26. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  11. ↑ Creery, Jennifer (2019-06-09). "Over a million attend Hong Kong demo against controversial extradition law, organisers say". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  12. ↑ "'Impossible to allow' discussions on Hong Kong independence in schools". South China Morning Post. 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  13. ↑ 葉靖斯 (18 September 2017). "澳門選舉：民主派保議席 天鴿風災與「港獨」吹出來的？". BBC中文網. Archived from the original on 22 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  14. 1 2 甄樹基 (16 September 2017). "環球時報炮製"澳獨"標籤澳門反對派立法會候選人". 法國國際廣播電台. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  15. ↑ "公務員「被組團」參觀國安展 雖自由報名 但有調侃：當然冇幾個唔去". 論盡媒體. 22 April 2018.
  16. ↑ Rick Huisman (10 November 2016). "Why prosperous Macau does not follow Hong Kong's gamble for independence". The Perspective.
  17. ↑ "Speech of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the European Parliament, Strasbourg". The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 14 October 2001. Archived from the original on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
  18. ↑ Smith, Warren W. (2008). China's Tibet?: Autonomy or Assimilation. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 214. ISBN   978-0-7425-3989-1.
  19. ↑ McDonald, Hamish (15 March 2005). "Tibet part of China: Dalai Lama". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  20. ↑ "Reasonable Demands Needed From Dalai Lama". Forbes . Archived from the original on 2022-10-25.
  21. ↑ "Al-Qaeda and Islamic State Take Aim at China. Why have both groups turned their attention to Beijing?". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  22. ↑ ""Inner Mongolian People's Party" and the basic facts about its key members". Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
  23. ↑ "モンゴル自由連盟党". Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2010.(JP)
  24. ↑ "滿洲國復辟？ 金溥聰有個族人自封是皇帝 [Manchukuo restored? King Pu-tsung has a clansman who proclaimed himself emperor]", NOWNews, 2009-12-10, archived from the original on 2012-03-25, retrieved 2011-09-26
  25. ↑ 孫亨利 [Henry Sun] (2009-09-16), "滿洲國要復活了！ [Manchukuo revived!]", NOWNews, archived from the original on 2012-03-25, retrieved 2011-09-26
  1. ↑ Taiwan, the continuation of the original Republic of China, and is a state with limited recognition whose territory is claimed as China's 23rd province, is not included in this list because it has never been governed by the People's Republic of China, the government that was established in mainland China in 1949. For more information, see articles; political status of Taiwan and Taiwan independence movement .
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