By Uyghur Times Staff
November 10, 2024
China has recently opened the so-called “Xinjiang Hotan Xueyuan (Institute)” in Hotan, as reported on November 10 by the official Chinese publication, Xinjiang Daily. According to the report, this full-time, government-controlled institution is the first of its kind in Hotan, aimed at increasing the influence of Chinese policies in the region.
The report details that the institute, officially established in May 2024, was created by merging the Hotan Teachers’ College with the Xinjiang Uyghur Medicine College under the approval of the Chinese Ministry of Education. Spanning 2,468 mu (approximately 1,645,000 square meters), it offers programs in nine disciplines, including law, education, literature, natural sciences, industrial sciences, agriculture, medical sciences, management, and the arts. It plans to enroll 22,000 students.
Uyghur observers have expressed concern, suggesting that the institute’s real purpose is political rather than educational, with the institution serving as a tool for Chinese political agendas rather than providing meaningful benefits to the local Uyghur population. China chose the term “Xueyuan” (Institute) instead of the Uyghur term “Mektep,” or even the widely accepted English term “Institute.” This language choice is seen as part of China’s broader effort to erode the Uyghur language and culture.
Reports indicate that the institute’s Party Committee Secretary, Ji Jifeng, is Han Chinese, as is the Deputy Secretary and Vice Director Wang Zhijian. This appointment structure underscores China’s aim to retain tight control over the institution. Hotan is an economically marginalized area, with studies showing high levels of Uyghur detention in the region. Establishing this institute reflects China’s intensifying political strategies in Uyghur areas.
At the unveiling ceremony for Xinjiang Hotan Xueyuan, Kaisair Abdukerim, Vice Chairman of the People’s Government of the Autonomous Region, Yang Xianjin, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tianjin University, Li Xiaozhong, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of the Autonomous Region, Li Guoliang, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Education Working Committee of the Party Committee of the Autonomous Region and Deputy Director of the Education Department, Tang Shengrong, Deputy Secretary-General of the Party Committee of the Corps and the Corps, Liu Chen, Secretary of the Hotan Prefectural Party Committee, Ji Feng, Secretary of the Institute’s Party Committee, and other leadership members jointly unveiled the plaque, marking a “new chapter” of development for the institute. The ceremony was hosted by Wang Zhijian, Deputy Secretary of the Institute’s Party Committee and Vice President.
Uyghur commentator Erkinjan told Uyghur Times, “China’s investment in Hotan’s education is not out of genuine concern for Uyghurs. Rather, it aims to promote Chinese assimilation through education, strengthen the Party’s political propaganda, and cultivate individuals who will support China’s colonial control and governance of the Uyghur homeland.”
