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While these states never had to listen to China when part of the USSR, now independent and desperate to increase trade to shore up collapsing economies, they can scarcely afford to ignore their-giant neighbour.Forbidden City Tour Recent intense lobbying by Chinese politicians is paying off with government warnings to Uighur cultural and political groups in the CIS not to support independence movements in Xinjiang. Nevertheless, since journalists are never allowed into Xinjiang unless under tight control,Climbing at Mt Everest most accounts of disturbances in Xinjiang come from Uighur activists in-Kazakstan. There are claims of forced abortions and sterilizations of Uighur women, and pressure on them to marry Chinese. Unfortunately in their efforts to publicize their case, which has a much lower profile overseas than that of theBadaling Great Wall Map Tibetans, these sources have been caught out in gross exaggeration, reducing the credibility of all of their reports. The government has been successful in flooding Xinjiang with reluctant Han, who from 3.7 per cent of the population in 1949 are expected to become the majority very soon. Independence for Xinjiang is unlikely ever to happen. Beijing maintains a large-scale military presence and has demonstrated a willingness to detain thousands, and execute hundreds if need be, at only theChengdu Travel Guide slightest provocation. The few uncoordinated assassinations and bomb blasts mounted by independence fighters may make Han residents even more uneasy and long for the more familiar east, but will not convince the government to walk away from massive deposits of copper, lead, manganese, nickel and oil. Regardless of the economic impact, the loss of face and the cries for independence thatBeijing Backpackers would arise from all sides could Beijing Walking Tournot be borne.The Kazak minority in Xinjiang, unlike the Uighurs, were recognized by early writers as being doughty and stout-hearted. They still received bad press, with otherwise charitable commentators being moved to bursts of considerable spleen: