East Turkestan
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| Flag of East Turkestan |
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East Turkestan (Sherqi Turkistan in Uighur, Dogu Turkistan in Turkish) is a term used to refer to Xinjiang, an autonomous region of People's Republic of China. It is a region in Central Asia, bordering Tibet, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir and other places.
The Chinese name for the area Xinjiang, in Chinese, means "new territory", so it is considered to be offensive to the Uyghurs who want independence. In addition, the name East Turkestan emphasizes that the area is part of a larger Turkic region. Conversely, most Chinese consider the name East Turkestan to be offensive.
"East Turkestan Islamic Movement" is a militant Islam group which seeks to separate the region from China. It is considered by both the governments of China and the United States to be a terrorist group. Its designation as such by the United States has been controversial with critics arguing that the designation is unfair and intended mainly to improve U.S.-China relations.
