China has appointed Chen Xiaojiang, a senior ethnic affairs official, as the Communist Party chief of the Xinjiang region, amid ongoing international scrutiny over human rights policies targeting Uyghurs and other minorities.

According to Xinhua, the ruling Communist Party tapped Chen Xiaojiang as its new party secretary in Xinjiang, a strategic and politically sensitive region in northwestern China. Chen previously held a vice-ministerial role in the United Front Work Department, which oversees ethnic and religious influence campaigns and Taiwan policy.

His appointment comes as Beijing continues to tighten political control over the region, where China has faced accusations of repression and forced assimilation of Muslim minorities.

Historic Appointment from the Han Majority

In 2020, Chen became the first person from the Han majority to lead the State Ethnic Affairs Commission since its re-establishment in 1978. This appointment was interpreted by observers as a move to centralize ethnic policy leadership within the Han elite, a trend reinforced by his new role in Xinjiang.

Xinhua did not specify when Chen would officially assume office.

Human Rights Concerns Loom Large

The United Nations reported in 2022 that China’s policies in Xinjiang had led to “serious human rights violations,” particularly under counter-terrorism and national security frameworks. Allegations included mass detentions, forced labor, and cultural erasure—claims that Beijing firmly rejects.

China has repeatedly insisted that all ethnic groups’ rights in Xinjiang are fully protected, labeling the reports as politically motivated attacks aimed at undermining its sovereignty.

Xinjiang’s Global Spotlight

Xinjiang, home to over 12 million Uyghurs, has remained at the center of global concern following years of crackdowns on Islamic practices, mass internment programs, and surveillance networks. The region has been pivotal to China’s internal stability narrative and Belt and Road strategy. Chen’s appointment signals a continuation of centralized control and ideology-first governance amid mounting external criticism.