China's strategic rapprochement with Syria hampers thousands of fighting Uighurs

China has been trying to strengthen its influence and trade ties in the Middle East. Syria is a strategic country, so Beijing has already established contacts with the new Islamist government in Damascus. But Chinese investment has been hampered by international sanctions as well as the presence of thousands of Uighurs. The Asian power fears fighters from the Turkestan Islamic Party in Syria (TIP) will carry jihad back to China.