China, Xinjiang and Central Asia: History, Transition and Crossborder Interaction into the 21st Century

Central Asia and Xinjiang, the far northwestern province of China, are of increasing international importance. The United States, having established military bases in Central Asia after September 2001, is now a force in what was previously predominantly a Russian sphere of influence, with China, Russia and Iran all continuing to exert strong influence. These external international influences have had a significant impact on local politics, with the overthrow of a long-standing regime in Kyrgyzstan, continued unrest and opposition to the current regime in Uzbekistan and the intensification of Chinese control in Xinjiang. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the region's significance historically, of the contemporary international forces which affect the region, and of current political, economic and cultural developments.

1. Introduction Michael Clarke & Colin Mackerras Section 1 ''‚¬" Conceptions of Xinjiang and Central Asia in World History 2. The ''‚¬~Centrality' of Central Asia in World History, 1700-2005: From Pivot to Periphery and Back Again? Michael Clarke 3. Views of Xinjiang and the Silk Road in World History James Millward 4. The ''‚¬~Perilous Frontier' in the Twenty-First Century: State Formation in Afghanistan's Past and Present Geoff Watson Section 2 ''‚¬" Contemporary Political, Economic and Social Dilemmas in Xinjiang and Central Asia 5. Xinjiang-Central Asia: Interdependency ''‚¬" Not Integration Ann McMillan 6. Minority Entrepreneurs on the Move in China ''‚¬" the Uygur Minority Marika Vicziany 7. The Historical Development of Central Asia and Xinjiang in the Twentieth Century: Bases of Contemporary Dilemmas Ablet Kamalov 8. Beijing's Growing Security Dilemma in Xinjiang and Central Asia Martin Andrew Section 3 ''‚¬" International Relations in the Xinjiang and Central Asia region 9. Xinjiang and Central Asia Since 1990: Views from Beijing and Washington and Sino-American Relations Colin Mackerras 10. Central Asia's Stability in Official Russian Security Thinking Under Yeltsin and Putin: From Hegemony to Multilateral Pragmatism Kiril Nourzhanov 11. Uzbekistan and the United States: Friends or Foes Shahram Akbarzadeh Section 4 ''‚¬" Conclusion 12. Conclusion Donald H. McMillen