China appoints ethnic affairs head as Xinjiang Communist Party chief

China’s ruling Communist Party has named Chen Xiaojiang as the new party secretary for Xinjiang, according to state news agency Xinhua. Chen currently heads an ethnic affairs panel and has served as a vice minister in the United Front Work Department since 2020, a body responsible for managing relations with ethnic and religious groups, as well as issues related to Taiwan.

According to Chinese media outlet Caixin, Chen was the first ethnic Han official to lead the State Ethnic Affairs Commission since its re-establishment in 1978. His appointment to Xinjiang, a region under close international scrutiny, signals continued central oversight of minority policy. Xinhua did not specify when Chen will formally assume the post.

In 2022, a UN report documented what it described as “serious human rights violations” against mostly Muslim Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang, including allegations of forced labour. China has rejected these claims, insisting all ethnic groups in the region enjoy full rights, and accused Western countries of using the issue to undermine its sovereignty.

via Reuters