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Xinjiang isn't exactly North Korea: we actually can see what's going on pretty well, if not always in realtime and/or perfect fidelity. Anybody with a Chinese

Xinjiang isn't exactly North Korea: we actually can see what's going on pretty well, if not always in realtime and/or perfect fidelity. Anybody with a Chinese visa can go there and poke around without special permissions, and Urumqi is a city of three million people with a large international airport. For example, here's a detailed story in the Economist about the XPCC, the paramilitary state org responsible for a good deal of the exploitation of the region: http://www.economist.com/news/china/21578433-region-plagued-ethnic-strife-growth-immigrant-dominated-settlements-adding http://www.economist.com/news/china/21578433-region-plagued-...

tellarin 11y ago
> Anybody with a Chinese visa can go there and poke around without special permissions This is not true. There are plenty of restrictions for foreigners travelling in Xinjiang, especially outside of the touristy areas in the main cities. Large areas are unreachable without special permits, allegedly due to "safety reasons".
- jpatokal 11y ago
  Got link? Permits are required for various treks like K2 base camp, some archaeological sites, the Karakoram Highway to Pakistan etc, and as usual in China there are restrictions (varyingly enforced) on where foreigners are supposed to stay overnight, but the list below doesn't appear particularly sinister. http://oldroadtours.com/index.php/preparing-for-your-tour/visas-lois-border-crossings-a-permits http://oldroadtours.com/index.php/preparing-for-your-tour/vi...
  - tellarin 11y ago
    Overall it's not really that sinister, I guess. Outside those it's mostly local gov/police not wanting foreigners walking around, not being allowed of the bus between the larger cities, them being sensitive when getting somewhat close to the border with Kazakhstan, and Bingtuan. Having "paperwork" is required then. Plus, restrictions come and go on forcing foreigners to only travel with authorised tour agencies, or authorised guides, that won't take you to some places. And whose presence will make local people suspicious of talking to you.
chvid 11y ago
Yes. It is not exactly North Korea and the perpetrators behind the Bangkok and Kunming attacks weren't exactly the Dalai Lama. In the realpolitik of the west there is an interest in keeping China occupied with internal troubles regardless of whether the people we end up supporting are nice or not.

tellarin 11y ago

> Anybody with a Chinese visa can go there and poke around without special permissions This is not true. There are plenty of restrictions for foreigners travelling in Xinjiang, especially outside of the touristy areas in the main cities. Large areas are unreachable without special permits, allegedly due to "safety reasons".

jpatokal 11y ago
Got link? Permits are required for various treks like K2 base camp, some archaeological sites, the Karakoram Highway to Pakistan etc, and as usual in China there are restrictions (varyingly enforced) on where foreigners are supposed to stay overnight, but the list below doesn't appear particularly sinister. http://oldroadtours.com/index.php/preparing-for-your-tour/visas-lois-border-crossings-a-permits http://oldroadtours.com/index.php/preparing-for-your-tour/vi...
- tellarin 11y ago
  Overall it's not really that sinister, I guess. Outside those it's mostly local gov/police not wanting foreigners walking around, not being allowed of the bus between the larger cities, them being sensitive when getting somewhat close to the border with Kazakhstan, and Bingtuan. Having "paperwork" is required then. Plus, restrictions come and go on forcing foreigners to only travel with authorised tour agencies, or authorised guides, that won't take you to some places. And whose presence will make local people suspicious of talking to you.

chvid 11y ago

Yes. It is not exactly North Korea and the perpetrators behind the Bangkok and Kunming attacks weren't exactly the Dalai Lama. In the realpolitik of the west there is an interest in keeping China occupied with internal troubles regardless of whether the people we end up supporting are nice or not.