Also, there are natural resources on this territory, which China would not be willing to lose. See: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/world/asia/china-invests

Also, there are natural resources on this territory, which China would not be willing to lose. See: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/world/asia/china-invests-in-xinjiang-region-rich-in-oil-coal-and-also-strife.html https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/world/asia/china-invests-...