Is East Turkestan a geographical reality or a political construct born of colonial ambition?
In short: The term East Turkestan is a modern, contested label for the region officially known as Xinjiang. Coined by 19th-century Russian explorers, it has evolved from a vague geographical descriptor into a potent symbol of Uyghur nationalism, representing a history of short-lived republics and ongoing debates over sovereignty and identity.
The name East Turkestan was not a local invention but a 19th-century creation by Russian Turkologists like Nikita Bichurin. It was designed to replace the Western term Chinese Turkestan, which historically referred to the Tarim Basin. Before this, the region was known by various names, including the Chinese-designated Western Regions and the Uyghur-named Altishahr, or Six Cities. The term Turkestan itself, defined by medieval Arab geographers, originally referred to lands northeast of the Sir River, distinct from the sedentary oasis dwellers of the region.
The political weight of the name emerged in the 20th century as a rallying cry for Uyghur separatists. Two short-lived republics—the first from 1933 to 1934 and the second from 1944 to 1946—transformed the geographical term into a symbol of statehood. These entities were never widely recognized, and their histories were later heavily influenced by Soviet historiography, which sought to bolster nationalist narratives during the Sino-Soviet split. Today, the East Turkistan Government in Exile, established in 2004, continues to use the term to advocate for independence.
In China, the name is viewed as a provocation and a relic of foreign imperialism. The government officially promotes the name Xinjiang, meaning New Frontier, which was popularized after the 1882 reorganization of the region into a province. Beijing argues that the region has been part of China since early history, dismissing the concept of East Turkestan as a modern fabrication. This clash of nomenclature reflects a deeper struggle over the region's past, with both sides using history, cartography, and administrative records to justify their conflicting claims to sovereignty.
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