Washington DC (UNN) — Chinese authorities have begun changing ancient Uyghur street names in Kashgar, ordering the replacement of long-standing Uyghur names with Mandarin ones, according to newly released information.
An HTML table shared by Gene Bunin, founder of Xinjiang Victims Database, in a Dec. 26 Facebook post shows Chinese authorities have ordered the renaming of 14 major roads and 30 streets in Kashgar, replacing their Uyghur names with Chinese ones.
An official document released by the Kashgar Municipal People’s Governmentshows the notice was issued onOct. 13, 2024.
The document states that the changes were made under a notice titled “On Changing and Naming Certain Roads in Kashgar City,” citing provisions of the Chinese State Council’s Regulations on the Administration of Geographical Names.
The published list shows 14 major roads in Kashgar have been renamed with entirely Chinese names, including Qiushi Road, Beichuan Road, and Jiangxi Road.
In addition to the above-mentioned major roads, authorities renamed another 30 streets and roads, including Dolatbagh Road to Jianguo Road and Qizil River Road to Honghe Road.
In addition, numerous historic streets in Kashgar have been renamed. Among the most notable changes:
- Nazarbagh Road → Guoyuan Road
- Seman Road → Liming Road
- Yumlaq Sheher Road → Laining Road
- Toqquzaq Road → Youhao Road
- Shamalbagh Road → Xinfeng Road
Streets named after well-known Uyghur neighborhoods, including Pahta Baziri, Ujmilik, Lenger, Aramehelle, and Tash Baziri, were also fully renamed with Chinese names.
A preliminary review by Uyghur News Network shows that most of the street name changes listed in the notice have already been carried out. The review also found that Kashgar Airport has been renamed “Laining Airport.”
While the government notice does not specify when the airport’s name was officially changed, available information indicates the change occurred in August 2023.
Attempts to obtain further clarification from relevant government departments in Kashgar were unsuccessful.
China has also changed the names of Uyghur villages. A 2024 report by Human Rights Watch and Norway-based Uyghur Hjelp found that 3,600 villages were renamed between 2009 and 2023.
The changes are part of a broader campaign of cultural destruction and erasure of Uyghur identity that intensified after 2017, including the demolition of graveyards and religious sites—policies that have drawn international condemnation, with some governments and rights groups calling them genocide.
China’s Regulations on the Administration of Geographical Names rectified on Sept. 1, 2021.
