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Enhancing allocation efficiency is vital for maintaining China’s position as a leading textile producer. The adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) can improve the efficiency of farmers’ input allocation. Nonetheless, limited evidence exists regarding the impact and extent of farmers’ access to digital agricultural extension through subscribing to agricultural WeChat public accounts (WPAs) on allocation inefficiency costs. Using a 2019 farm household survey of cotton farmers in Xinjiang, this paper employs a primal system model to calculate farmers’ allocation inefficiency costs and a two-stage residual inclusion approach model (2SRI) to estimate the effects of agricultural WPAs subscription on allocation inefficiency costs and allocation inefficiency. The empirical findings indicate that the average allocation inefficiency cost is 3.264 Yuan per kilogram, constituting 45.8% of cotton production cost. Our results demonstrate that subscribing to agricultural WPAs can significantly reduce farmers’ allocation inefficiency costs by 19.5% and decrease allocation inefficiency by 0.079. Consequently, promoting smallholder farmers’ access to digital agricultural extension serves as an effective strategy to enhance allocation efficiency and lower costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yingpan, Xinjiang, was an important site on the Silk Road of China. A large number of precious objects with exquisite patterns have been excavated from this site, and they provide valuable physical evidence for the study of the cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. The conservation methods applied to a pair of cloud pattern-painted boots excavated in Yingpan, Xinjiang, are introduced in this paper, and the various factors influencing the repair process are explained. The results show that an oil-in-water emulsifier with contaminant removal and antibacterial functions effectively softened the hardened and deformed ancient leather. The use of near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) to evaluate the dosage of the softening agent can prevent excessive use of softening agents on historical leathers. A silk crepeline method was used to influence the physical reinforcement of the boots without affecting their appearance. It improved the fiber strength of the ancient textiles. This article is a good reference for conservators seeking to repair ancient leather products with textiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GM crops, as a widely researched and applied biotechnology, hold significant strategic and practical implications for promoting the commercialization of GM crops in China, driving agricultural industry upgrading, and fostering economic and social development. However, despite their potential benefits, the commercialization of GM crops in China has been consistently delayed. Therefore, this study aims to explore the trust relationship between the government and the public in the field of genetically modified organisms and the heterogeneous impacts generated at the production and consumption ends. We primarily focus on insect-resistant cotton and genetically modified papaya as representatives and base our research on survey data from Xinjiang and Guangdong. By employing factor analysis and establishing multiple Probit models with government trust, crop purposes, and farmer expectations as independent variables, and the commercialization of GM crops as the dependent variable, we conduct two sets of empirical analyses. The study finds that government trust has a more significant impact on consumer concerns about whether to consume GM products than on producers, who prioritize farmers' desire for agricultural product profitability. Age and education levels also influence the public's acceptance of planting GM crops, but the effects are not as significant as the core variables mentioned earlier. Based on this, we conclude that consumers and farmers have different positions and contradictions in the specific scenario of delayed GM commercialization in China. In this context, this paper argues that diversified strategies should be adopted to address the issue of commercialization of GM crops in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of mineral deposits formation, elements often show abnormal enrichment. Therefore, the inversion of element contents (the prediction of element contents in mineral deposits through hyperspectral data) has some indicative significance to the exploration of mineral resources. In order to solve the problem of nonlinear copper contents inversion using hyperspectral remote sensing, this paper put forward an improved Gradient Boosting Regression Tree (IGBRT) method to invert copper contents. The main innovations of this paper are: (1) replacing the simple average function with the k-nearest-neighbour weighted average function as the node prediction function to improve the accuracy; (2) using the adaptive reduction step instead of the fixed reduction step to improve the efficiency. At the end of the paper, taking the Altun region, Xinjiang province, China as the experimental area, the iron element which was high correlated with the copper was chosen as the intermediate variable, and the contents relationship between them was established to solve the problem of the small number of copper samples in the study area. Using the improved Gradient Boosting Regression Tree method to predict the iron contents, then the copper contents could be predicted through the relationship between them. The results showed that the IGBRT algorithm had the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.744, which were 0.185 more than the traditional one, and the learning efficiency was increased by 39.4%. The results of this study can provide a reference for remote sensing inversion of copper contents in mineral deposits of uninhabited areas, and have some important significance for the delineation of copper prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, Xinjiang's municipal government has enacted a series of religious policies with the overt aim of combatting religious extremism, but which increasing numbers of Uyghur activists, scholars and human rights NGOs assert are discriminatory, serving as a vehicle for religious repression and the cultural assimilation of the region's Uyghur and other Muslim minorities. Within this context, this paper will consider the applicability of international human rights law in protecting the Uyghurs' cultural identity as a religious minority. However, any attempt to do so remains stymied as China has yet to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the sole human rights treaty of the United Nations that contains a provision dedicated to freedom of religion or belief for all. By exploring the applicability of cultural rights as a protection of the Uyghurs' religious identity, this paper will highlight how the UN's evolving definition of culture ensures that Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provides one of the broadest protections for minority rights within the core human rights instruments of the United Nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are abundant oil resources in Xinjiang, and the exploitation of oil resources could easily pollute the soil. In this paper, the impact of oil pollution on permeability of the gray desert soil affected by freeze-thaw cycles under a dry and cold climate of Karamay region in Xinjiang was studied. First, varying-head infiltration tests were conducted on soil samples with different water contents and pollution intensity without exposing to freeze-thaw cycles. The variability of permeability were analyzed employing the scanning results of the polluted soil samples by an electron microscope. Then several freezing and thawing cycle tests were implemented on the samples. The test results shown that the soil permeability was optiomal and the permeability coefficient was highest when the crude oil pollution intensity was 0.61% and the water content was 15.53%. With the water content in soil samples being the same, the soil permeability coefficient increased in the beginning and then decreased as the pollution intensity increased. When the pollution intensity ranging from 0.5% to 1.75%, the freezing and thawing condition could be the leading factor affecting the soil permeability. However, when the oil content was within the range of 1.81% – 2.41%, the freezing and thawing condition could not be the leading factor affecting the soil permeability. The results provided in this study could serve as a relevant basis for the remediation of soil pollution in oil production plants in arid areas of Western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic investment and the growing immigration of Han Chinese from other parts of China to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region over the last three decades have increased the presence of eastern Chinese architecture in the urban built environment. This paper refers to the making of, residing in and speaking about the materiality of urban architecture by Turkic-speaking Muslim Uyghur middle-class actors. Besides creating personal comfort through Uyghur elements they draw ethnic boundaries to the Han Chinese. In highlighting the materiality of architecture, the analysis expands beyond the individual house by investigating the ways in which urban architecture offers spaces of meaning for social and ethnic communities. Based on ethnographic data, this paper argues that due to the political context and the state-controlled urban development with Chinese characteristics, urban Uyghur architecture was relegated from the outside of houses to an emphasis on interior decoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, reports have emerged that China operates "political re-education" camps of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. China justified them as a sort of vocational training program to assist Uyghurs in participating in the Chinese economy. In actuality, they are brutal incarceration camps; these forms of 'education' can qualify as torture that perhaps 1.5 million adults have been subjected to, and have led to detaining children of people incarcerated in state-run boarding schools. It is necessary to interrogate the underlying factors that have enabled the Chinese government to open and operate these camps under the guise of education. This paper first examines the impact of the current geopolitical interests of China's Belt & Road Initiative and the historical backgrounds of Xinjiang and the Re-Education through Labour program. It then explains the methods of 'education' taking place within the camps and interrogates China's justifications for building them. This education issue is more about inhibiting Uyghur power than China's claim that the camps are meant to empower Uyghurs to participate in the Chinese labour force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the inter-group difference in social leverage ties between Uyghurs and Han Chinese in Ürümchi, China. Social leverage ties refer to high-status ties such as professionals and managers who can provide egos with information or access to education, training, employment, etc. Existing studies have suggested three hypotheses (i.e. retention of culture, homophily and neighbourhood poverty) for the mechanisms of ethnic differences in network composition. Based on the survey data the author collected in 2005, this paper suggests another main mechanism – state policies – in explaining the ethnic variations. State policies have led to in-group association and ethnic inequalities, which have limited Uyghur access to high-status individuals. Data analysis shows the Uyghur–Han difference in social leverage ties controlling for key background characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The 5 July event in Urumqi inspired rethinking about Beijing's policy towards Xinjiang. This paper will examine Beijing's interests in Xinjiang from historical, political, economic and security perspectives, and the challenges Beijing faces in pursuing and protecting its interests. By examining the tensions between the Han and ethnic minorities, especially the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the paper argues that the Xinjiang issue involves China's core interests and the most serious challenge Beijing faces is how to cope with ethnic tension in a highly sensitive region surrounded by big powers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumultuous events of summer 2009 have brought Uighur protests and minority mobilization in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) to the forefront. But this focus overlooks similar protests organized by various groups of Han Chinese settlers over the years. This paper contributes to the body of literature on minority mobilization and ethnic relations in Xinjiang by illustrating how the political mobilization of a group that is simultaneously a national majority and a regional minority differs substantially from ‘traditional’ minority mobilization. Reviewing the main instances of Han Chinese political mobilization since the XUAR was created in 1955, I argue that two factors are particularly important in enabling their mobilization: the Han Chinese's subjective perception of discrimination and their close ethnic ties to the state. This paper concludes with a discussion on the presence of a cycle of protests between Han settlers and the Uighurs in Xinjiang. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper attempts to identify the variables that define the political and social boundaries within Xinjiang's multi-ethnic society. Traditionally, ethnicity has been the point from which scholars examine political and social loyalties in Xinjiang. It is proposed here that, while ethnicity is a crucial component in defining the divisions in Xinjiang society, it is also important to consider the role of language. This latter trait cuts across ethnic lines and is responsible for creating important subgroups within established communities. The paper will demonstrate that while the Uighur Min kao Han are ethnically Uighur, they culturally and linguistically have taken on many ethnic Chinese characteristics. They are favoured for admission into Chinese society and receive political and employment advantages over their co-ethnics who remain linguistically/culturally Uighur. However, these advantages do not always materialize and the social costs are high. The Min kao Han are generally excluded from the Uighur community, while simultaneously enduring discrimination from the Han. It is argued here that the history of the Min kao Han , as well as the trends in Chinese politics and society affecting this group's future development, are key to understanding what their current role is and will be in the future. It is clear that the psychological condition of the Min kao Han is largely the result of their isolated position in Xinjiang society, and of their experience as children in Han classrooms. It will be shown that there is potential for this group to lead the Uighur population into conflict with the Han, but also, and more importantly, for them to help facilitate reconciliation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Students’ daily-life experiences may render favorable effects on the students’ affective domain like interest, enthusiasm, motivation, joy, curiosity, awareness, and eagerness to learn science as not commonly found in the classroom environment. However, no rigorous research has been reported on those aspects in Mainland China despite many recent studies done in various Western countries. Purpose:This paper aims to report and compare the science-related experiences of ninth-graders from two places (in Urumqi City of Xinjiang province and Shanghai) in China through a large-scale survey of their junior secondary three students. Sample:The sample consists of 4115 students in Urumqi City (from 28 schools) and Shanghai (from 25 schools). Design and methods:This study adopted a Likert scale questionnaire instrument, as translated from the international Relevance Of Science Education (ROSE) Project. From a confirmatory factor analysis of the data, we identify and focus on six factors which are directly correlated with students’ science-related experiences outside school environment in Xinjiang and Shanghai and employ relevant factor scores to compare the gender, regional, and socioeconomic effects. Results:As revealed by thet-test, gender and regional differences were statistically significant in affecting (1) students’ outdoor living experience, (2) hands-on experience of transportation, and (3) their daily-life experience with do-it-yourself tools and models. In all three aspects, boys and Xinjiang students possessed richer experiences than girls and Shanghai students, respectively. Conclusions:Based on ANOVA tests, Shanghai students’ out-of-school science-related experiences were more often significantly affected by various socioeconomic variables (including their parents’ education and occupation and their family income) than Xinjiang students. From cross-regional comparison, Chinese students had much fewer science-related experiences than those of Greek and Finnish students. The limitations and educational implications of the present study are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

While the topic of Xinjiang has received considerable attention from scholars in the recent years, there has been a lack of scholarship on policy proposals for what should be done there to improve the situation for the Uyghurs. Moreover, and even though the literature on democratization in China is plentiful, Xinjiang scholars have not fully engaged that literature in their writings. Likewise, scholars on the topic of democratization in China have not devoted adequate attention to Xinjiang, focusing instead on China overall. His paper argues that the best approach for the Chinese government in bringing about lasting and sustainable peace in Xinjiang is through adopting a combination of competitive democratic elections to be held throughout Xinjiang and fostering political openness through participatory democracy in Xinjiang, the People's Republic of China (PRC). However, with the massive influx of Han into Xinjiang following the founding of the PRC, tensions between the Uyghurs and the Han have exacerbated significantly. Denying Uyghurs basic freedoms such as speaking their own language and going to the mosque further adds to the tensions and is not a viable policy. Thus, in order to improve the situation in Xinjiang, it is essential that Uyghurs are engaged in the democratic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a paper which explores on Han-Uyghur inequality through the comparison of Han and Uyghur migrants at Urumqi, Xinjiang in China. It says that base on a survey of 30 sites conducted in 2008, it is crucial to consider the role of self-initiated migration. It states that through the analyses of migration characteristics, findings show that Uyghur migrants do not seem disfavored compared to Han migrants. Moreover, heterogeneity of Urumqi's labor market is also investigated.

The Qingbulake mafic complex hosting a copper-nickel sulfide deposit, Tekesi County, West Tianshan (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region) consists of pyroxene diorite-gabbro, olivine gabbro-pyroxenite, pyroxenite-olivine gabbro, and clinopyroxene peridotite. The geochemical study presented in this paper indicates that the complex is characterised by low Ti, depletion in Nb and Ta, enrichment in LILEs and slight enrichment in light REEs. These geochemical characteristics, combined with isotope systematics, suggest that the formation of the complex may be related to the subduction of the South Tianshan oceanic plate beneath the Central Tianshan plate and their collision and that the magma could be derived from a depleted MORB-source mantle. The magma underwent weak hybridisation with the crust and country rocks during its emplacement. SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircons in pyroxene diorite samples from the Qingbulake complex yielded a concordia age of 434.4 ± 6.2 Ma, indicating that the complex was emplaced in the early Silurian (Llandovery). The features of island-arc magma shown by the Qingbulake complex were probably induced by the subduction of oceanic crust beneath the depleted mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An oasis is not only the most concentrated area of human activity in an arid area but also the largest area where artificial disturbances occur at a regional scale. The study of oasis urban expansion and related factors is important to understand the development of cities in arid areas, guide the evolution of rational urban expansion and promote sustainable development of oasis cities. Although there have been several studies on urban expansion in Xinjiang over past decades, a lack of quantitative data and methods impedes further research. In this paper, urban expansion of the studied area in 1990, 2000 and 2007 is evaluated using 39 Landsat satellite images, a geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS). We also analyse the related factors of urban expansion using quantitative and qualitative methods. We found that economic development and the area of the urban administrative region greatly effect urban expansion. Too rapid growth and outward urbanized expansion paradigms should not be applied blindly in arid areas from the point of view of sustainability. Historic-geographic features of oases and urban planning influence oasis urban morphology. Compact urban morphology is relatively better for protecting precious water and arable resources, and reducing ecology damage to the surrounding oasis. The relationship between urban expansion and population growth was not coordinate before 2000, and effectively only improved after that date. City growth should be moderated, with lower elastic coefficients, slower expansion and higher elasticity coefficients. Oasis cities in Xinjiang are expanding under the combined effects of urbanization, economic development, transportation, environment, resources, policy and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2000, the Chinese Communist Party established the Xinjiang Class (Xinjiang neidi gaozhong ban), a program that funds middle school-aged students from Xinjiang, mostly ethnic Uyghur, to attend school in predominately Han populated cities located throughout eastern China. This paper examines the efficacy of the Xinjiang Class in promoting ethnic unity and Chinese nationalism. By examining the extent to which Uyghur students participating in the Xinjiang Class interact with Han students; speak Chinese outside of the classroom; and by considering if these Uyghur students are returning to Xinjiang, I argue that many Uyghurs are resisting integration, and the Xinjiang Class is largely failing to promote ethnic unity between Han and Uyghurs. Conversely, this program has even strengthened some Uyghur students' sense of ethnic identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide background for the four papers on Xinjiang and the Uyghurs in this special issue, this introduction discusses developments in the region since 1991, then outlines the events of June and July 2009 in Shaoguan, Guangdong, and Urumchi, Xinjiang, as best can be pieced together from available information. It concludes with brief introductions to the four articles on Xinjiang that follow in this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The statement that Xinjiang is an integral province of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is not as banal as it would first appear. The primary question that arises from this statement is how - by what processes and strategies - was Xinjiang brought to its contemporary situation as a province of the PRC? This paper seeks to highlight that, although Xinjiang's history since the eighteenth century has been one of great turbulence and dynamism, underlying continuities in both the practice of Chinese power and perceptions of Xinjiang impact profoundly on contemporary China's rule of Xinjiang. Therefore, this study attempts to chart the transition of the Qing goal of territorial incorporation of the region based upon a system of indirect rule c.1760 to the post-imperial Chinese state's goal of territorial incorporation based on the extension of direct, modern strategies of government and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring and estimating potential snow disasters in pastoral areas of northern Xinjiang Province are important for decision-making in hazard reduction and prevention. In this paper, four scenes of NOAA/AVHHR (Advanced Very high Resolution Radiometer) images were combined with ground observation data in the north of Xinjiang Province to establish a model for monitoring snow depth. Using a linear spectral decomposition method, the pixel-based snow coverage and snow classification were studied. The spatial characteristics of snow, grassland, animal and climate factors were used to develop two new quantified indices for estimating the potential snow hazard grade and for integrated evaluation of snow disasters to grassland animal husbandry. The criteria for snow hazard grade and snow disaster evaluation were established. Results indicated that: (i) a pixel-based index K1, based on grassland yield, animal capacity, utilisable grassland area coefficient and seasonal grazing utilisation scenarios, can be quantitatively integrated to reflect the grassland capability of resisting snow disasters; (ii) the snow hazard index (K) systematically expresses the spatial and temporal changes of grassland and snow cover, and analyses, and predicts and evaluates the snow hazard grade under conditions where climatic and animal husbandry information may be unavailable during snow disasters. This index plays an important role in studies on early warning of snow hazard in pastoral areas; (iii) the integrated snow disaster evaluation index (E) and related classification criteria reflect the details of snow disaster magnitude in temporal and spatial scales, which provide the basic information for dynamic monitoring and integrated evaluation on snow disasters in pastoral areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between spectral indices (the normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI] and photochemical reflectance index [PRI]) and the photosynthetic capacities based on chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm ) of moss-, lichen- and cyanobacteria-dominated biological soil crusts collected from the Gurbantonggut Desert, Xinjiang, China, based on a liquid-water hydration experiment. While no photosynthetic activity was detected for dry crusts, hydrated crusts showed significantly higher Fv/Fm values than dry crusts. A significant correlation between the PRI and Fv/Fm was found in moss- and lichen-dominated crusts, and the determination coefficients were higher than those between the NDVI and Fv/Fm . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a multinational state, China's ethnic minority issue (e.g. Tibet and Xinjiang) is always a large political concern. China often treats this issue exclusively as a sovereignty matter and refutes outside criticism. What is the viable explanation of China's position? Is China's behavior consistent with the global norms and international law, especially the principle of national self-determination? This paper addresses these questions through an examination of China's ethnic minority issues in the context of foreign policy and international relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conformational behavior of the capsular polysaccharide obtained from a fast‐growing soybean‐nodulating rhizobia (strain B33) isolated from Xinjiang Autonomous Region (Eastern China) has been analyzed by NMR and molecular mechanics simulations. This polysaccharide has the repeating unit →6)‐4‐O‐Me‐α‐d‐Glcp‐(1→4)‐3‐O‐Me‐β‐d‐GlcpA‐(1→. The NMR results indicate that the α‐(1→4) linkage may adopt a variety of conformations, and that at least two of the resulting minima must exist in solution. NOE data agree with an 85:10:5 ratio for the lowest‐energy conformations. In the case of the β‐(1→6) linkage, NMR indicates that the rotamer gg is highly populated. Experimental and calculated NOE intensities match well when the global energy minimum conformation for this linkage has exclusively the gg orientation. The influence of the adjacent methyl group on the glycosyloxymethyl population has been evaluated by simulation of a disaccharide without this group. A relative destabilization of gt rotamer has been found. Long chains have been simulated using a Metropolis algorithm at different ratios of the gg and gt rotamers in the glucose moiety. It was observed that the increase in population of the gt rotamer yielded more close contacts in the chain. †This paper is dedicated to Professor Gérard Descotes on the occasion of his 70th birthday. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) is a largely Muslim area in the far northwest of China. In area it is the largest province-level unit in China, accounting for about one-sixth of China's total area. The most populous ethnic group is the Uygurs, after whom the XUAR is named. The Uygurs are Turkic ethnically and culturally, and strong adherents of Islam. In the north of Xinjiang there is a large Kazak population, adjacent to Kazakhstan. Since the middle of the 20th century there have been many immigrants from China's dominant nationality the Han. The People's Republic of China (PRC), like its imperial and republican predecessor states, places a very high premium on national unity. All attempts at secession have been suppressed immediately and brutally. In fact, the great majority of these attempts at secession have taken place either in Tibet or Xinjiang, both of which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regards as integral parts of China. For a variety of reasons separatist movements have strengthened since 1990 in Xinjiang. This is despite persistent efforts by the government to crush any secessionist tendencies in all the minority areas. Actually, separatist movements appear to have impacted more heavily on Xinjiang in the 1990s than on any other part of China, even including Tibet. The year 1996 saw an intensification in the government's attempt to suppress separatism, in particular with a major meeting in Ürümqi early in May, at which the problems were aired and a counter-strategy identified. The main aim of this paper is to enquire into the causes for the increase in separatism. It concludes that there is a combination of various reasons for this growth. Most of them are long-standing, including the strained relations among the various nationalities living in Xinjiang. What changed in the 1990s, however, was that the Soviet Union collapsed (December 1991). However, no sooner had the Soviet threat been removed than it was replaced b... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]