 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Xinjiang clique" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(December 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Xinjiang Clique | |
|---|---|
| 新疆 Sinkiang | |
 Flag of theXinjiang People's Anti-Imperialist Association (1933–1944)  Provincial Government Seal | |
| Active | 1911–1944 |
| Disbanded | 1944 |
| Country |  Republic of China |
| Allegiance | Beiyang government (1912–1915, 1916–1928) Empire of China (1915–1916) Nationalist government (1928–1934, 1942–1944) Soviet Union (1934–1942) |
| Type | Warlord faction |
| Motto | Always loyal (永遠忠誠) |
| Engagements | 1911 Revolution Xinjiang Wars |
| Commanders | |
| Provincial Governor (1912–1928) | Yang Zengxin |
| Provincial Chairman (1928–1933) | Jin Shuren |
| Military Governor (1933–1944) | Sheng Shicai |
TheXinjiang clique was a militaryclique that ruledXinjiang during China'swarlord era. Unlike other cliques, its leaders were from outside the province.
During theXinhai Revolution in 1911, theQing governor fled fromDihua (Ürümqi). A band ofYunnanese led byYang Zengxin quelled the rebellion and established himself as the provincial leader. PresidentYuan Shikai recognized Yang as governor. Yang was one of the few who supported Yuan's attempt to become emperor. During theNational Protection War, he purged officers who sympathized with theYunnan clique's leaderCai E. After Yuan's death, he recognized whichevergovernment ruled in Beijing and maintained an isolationist and neutrality policy which kept Xinjiang away from the upheavals experienced in the rest of China.
Ma Fuxing andMa Shaowu, both of themHui Chinese, were members of the clique. They held military and political positions under Yang.
Yang held absolute power in the region and kept the keys to the radio station on him at all times. He read every message himself and got rid of any which he didn't like.[1]
Yang's future deputy,Fan Yaonan,[1] had been studying in Japan when he was appointed asmilitary attache of Xinjiang byLi Yuanhong.[2][3] Fan heavily disliked Yang's government policy of keeping the people ignorant and tried to bring in more progressive ideas to the region.[2] Li Yuanhong hoped that Fan would eventually kill Yang and replace him as governor of Xinjiang. Aspiring for higher positions, Fan sped up the process and on July 7, 1928, days after Yang recognized theNationalist (KMT) government inNanjing, Fan shot Yang dead during a banquet at the Xinjiang Academy of Politics and Law.[1][3] Also present at the banquet were Chinese officials along with theSoviet consul-general and his wife. The consul-general and his wife were able to escape.[1]
Following Yang's assassination,Jin Shuren, Yang's second in command, had Fan and his coconspirators killed. After that, he declared himself the provincial governor and was quickly recognized by the KMT. Jin wholly mismanaged the province by causing highinflation, banning thehajj, and replacing local officials withHan officials. In 1931, the alienated Muslim majorityrebelled against Jin.[3] Gansu warlordMa Zhongying of theHuiMa clique invaded in support of the rebellion. Soon, various other groups rebelled against Jin, often fighting against each other including the breakawayFirst East Turkestan Republic.
Jin was deposed by mutineers in 1933 and was succeeded bySheng Shicai. Sheng was not a protégé of either Yang or Jin. He was initially an officer underGuo Songling and defected with Guo to theGuominjun. He was appointed by Nanjing to serve under Jin as late as 1930. The war continued unabated with Nanjing unable to resolve the conflict. Frustrated, Sheng turned to theSoviet Union in 1934. With Soviet support,Ma Hushan was defeated in 1937. Sheng turned Xinjiang into a Soviet protectorate and safe haven for theChinese Communist Party.
WithGermany'sinvasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Sheng decided to rejoin the Kuomintang, expelling Soviet advisors and executing communists.Chiang Kai-shek couldn't trust Sheng, who tried renegotiating withJoseph Stalin, so he deposed him and installed direct rule in 1944. The new KMT administration then faced a rebellion that formed theSecond East Turkestan Republic.
