While, not discounting the potency of the radical Islamic religious discourse in fuelling the contemporary wave of terrorism, this book makes an attempt to explain terrorism in China as an ethno-nationalist conflict rooted in issues involving minority identity. However, a largely domestic conflict is being hijacked by the radical Islamists.Explaining the Minority Conflict in China: A Theoretical Perspective Islam and Conflict in China China's Policies toward Muslim Minorities Terrorist Threat to China: Organized Groups Hui Muslims: The Milieu of Radicalization and Extremism Terrorist Threat to China: Transnational China's Perception of the Threat and Response Conclusion: Need for Moderation and a Humane Approach
Gunaratna is probably the leading academic expert on contemporary terrorism. Together with Arabinda Acharya and Wang Pengxin, he has undertaken the difficult and sensitive task of producing an in-depth analysis of the nature and causes of terrorism in China. They make a clear distinction between what might be described as traditional terrorism driven by the political suppression of minority identity and the new more ideological terrorism of Islamist extremism. They successfully pick apart these complex, intertwined themes and have produced a most convincing set of explanations and insights. This is an important book which the Chinese authorities themselves should read with close attention. - Sir Richard Dearlove, Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG), Order of the British Empire (OBE), Chief of British Secret Intelligence Service (1999-2004), Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge (2004-present)
An illuminating account of a little known topic, Ethnic Identity and National Conflict in China is a must read for academics, policy-makers, and operators alike. Gunaratna, Acharya, and Wang demystify the paradox concerning China s cooperation as a counter-terror partner and the China that is less than cooperativl#'