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China and the Soviet Union in Xinjiang, 1934-1949

This collection of Soviet records concerns the political and military turmoil in Xinjiang in the 1930s and 1940s. The records provide considerable details on the insurrection led by Ma Zhongying, Governor Sheng Shicai's relationship with Stalin, the establishment of the East Turkestan Republic (1944-1949) in northern Xinjiang, Soviet support for the Chinese Communist Party, and Sino-Soviet relations more generally, among other topics. The majority of the records in the collection were obtained by Jamil Hasanli for his 2015 bookSin'tszyan v orbite sovetskoy politiki: Stalin i musul'manskoye dvizheniye v Vostochnom Turkestane: 1931-1949: monografiya (Xinjiang in the Orbit of Soviet Politics: Stalin and the Muslim Movement in Eastern Turkestan, 1931-1949), later published in English as Soviet Policy in Xinjiang: Stalin and the National Movement in Eastern Turkistan (2021), as well as by Charles Kraus and Sergey Radchenko. See also the Digital Archive collection on "The Yi-Ta Incident, 1962." (Photo: Governor of Xinjiang Sheng Shicai.)

Popular Documents

January 9, 1938

Concerning Troop Movements through Xinjiang

The Politburo recommends that Sheng Shicai advise Chiang Kai-shek to permit the regiment currently stationed in Erlizihe to proceed to its designated location.

June 1934

Letter of Governor Shicai Sheng to Cdes. Stalin, Molotov, and Voroshilov

Governor Shicai Sheng expresses his firm belief in Communism, his desire to overthrow the Nanjing Government and construct a Communist state in its place, and the need to establish a Communist Party branch in Xinjiang. Emphasizing his long study of Marxist theory, he requests that Stalin, Molotov, and Voroshilov allow him to join the Communist Party.

November 1, 1934

Letter from Governer Shicai Sheng to Cdes. Stalin, Molotov, and Voroshilov

Responding to Stalin, Molotov, and Voroshilov's letter of 27 July, Sheng expresses his agreement with their assertions about Xinjiang's unsuitability for Communist rule and the inadvisability of overthrowing the Nanjing government. Accepting that he cannot become a member of the Communist Party at this time, Sheng expresses his gratitude for the Soviet assistance he has received and requests that he and Consul General Apresov be permitted to travel to Moscow.

August 1949

Liu Shaoqi to Cde. G.M. Malenkov

Liu Shaoqi informs Malenkov that Deng Liqun will lead a team to the East Turkestan Republic and establish radio communication with Moscow and later with Peng Dehuai.

August 1949

Karsky to Cde. Miklashevsky

Moscow will assist Deng Liqun, a member of the Chinese Communist Party, with establishing radio contact after arriving in the East Turkestan Republic.