dogu-turkistan-sempozyumu

FREEEAST TURKISTAN SYMPOSIUMC. The situation in East Turkistan according to theSWOT analysis methodIt is relatively easy to come up with a solution through a SWOT analysis ofEast Turkistan that includes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.The strong points of East Turkistan1. The strongest aspect is the will and passion for independence in the peopleof East Turkistan. The people of East Turkistan have never given up their desirefor independence, although since 1884 they have paid a high price for this. Theywere able to establish republics between 1933-1934 and 1944-1949, althoughthese were not long-lasting.2. Another strong point is the strategic location of East Turkistan. Anyconflict or war that took place in East Turkistan is related to the changes in theconjuncture of international politics within the relevant periods. It is no doubtthat any change that will take place in East Turkistan in the future will certainlybe related to international strategic balances. What brings us to this conclusionis the strategic importance of the region. The East Turkistan region, which hasserved as a bridge and borderline for China throughout history, is still strategicallyimportant in terms of military defense, security, economic development, oil andnatural gas, as well as for other ground and surface resources. The strategic locationof East Turkistan is important for the rivals of China to the same extent that itis for China. Any unstable situation that may take place in this region, which is aweak point for the People’s Republic of China, may seriously affect the future ofChina. It is likely that the region plays a key role in meeting the national interestsof China, particularly in terms of national security and national development, andconsequently of being a super power in the world. 53. The third strong point is the geopolitical location of East Turkistan. TheEast Turkistan region is located in the center of Asia, forming the northeasternpart of the People’s Republic of China, and constitutes 1/6 of the Chinese territory,with an area of 1.68 million square kilometers; it is surrounded by the Gan-suProvince, the Qing-hai Province, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Tibet. The borders of East Turkistanwith foreign countries constitute ¼ of the total borders of China; East Turkistan is566