The city of Ghulja, East Turkestan (officially called Yining, Xinjiang by China), became a battleground on February 5, 1997. Thousands of peaceful Uyghur demonstrators took to the streets to demand justice, freedom, and an end to religious and cultural repression. The response? Brutal violence from Chinese security forces, mass arrests, and the cold-blooded killing of innocent people. Today, on its 28th anniversary, we remember the lives lost and the crimes the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has tried to erase from history. On that bitter winter morning, thousands of Uyghurs gathered in the streets of Ghulja, chanting for freedom and equal rights. The Chinese authorities had long been suffocating Uyghur culture—banning traditional meshrep gatherings and arresting religious leaders under fabricated charges of "separatism."

On February 5, 1997, the Chinese government unleashed brutal violence on peaceful Uyghur demonstrators in the city of Ghulja (Yining), East Turkestan (Xinjiang). What began as a non-violent protest for equal rights, religious freedom, and an end to racial discrimination quickly turned into one of the bloodiest crackdowns on Uyghurs in modern history.

China’s military ambitions in 2024 reveal a clear and alarming trajectory towards global dominance, with its expanding military capabilities, opaque budget practices, and aggressive regional posturing posing significant threats to international stability. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to prioritize becoming a "world-class military" by 2049, but the means by which Beijing seeks to achieve this reveal a calculated disregard for international norms and a growing tendency towards coercion.

China did it again, and this time with Thailand’s faith. To mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and the People’s Republic of China and embracing shared history, spiritual and cultural ties, China has sent a Buddha tooth relic to Thailand from Buddha relic tower, Mount Wutai, Xinzhou city, Shanxi province which will be enshrined at Sanam Luang for more than two months. However, the relic sent by China is a replica and has no religious connection.

China has imposed restrictive export bans on essential minerals and machinery crucial for India’s growth in key sectors like renewable energy and infrastructure. By targeting gallium and germanium—indispensable for solar power and semiconductors—Beijing is striking at the heart of India’s renewable energy targets. Furthermore, by blocking the sale of tunnel-boring machines (TBMs), critical for metro and other infrastructure projects, China has escalated its economic warfare.

Donald Trump’s likely victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election could deliver a crushing blow to China’s economic ambitions, sparking a new wave of trade wars, tariffs, and sanctions designed to curb Beijing’s expansionist policies. As Trump returns to the White House, the U.S. is poised to launch a more aggressive economic assault on China—one that not only challenges Beijing’s global dominance but also forces it to confront its internal economic fragility, human rights abuses, and reliance on unsustainable practices.