Search

The article discusses the role of assimilation in making the Hui in China one of the most successful Muslim minorities in the world. Topics discussed include a comparison between the Hui and the Uighur Muslim groups in China, the close connection of the Hui with the Chinese society, and the economic success of the Hui as they dominate halal food production.

The article considers ethnic relations in China. The Dai ethnic group which is located in the far south of Yunnan province is used as an example of ethnic minorities in China which are more assimilated into Chinese society than larger groups such as the Tibetans or Uighurs, but which also pursue private rather than political means of preserving their ethnic and cultural heritage.

The article focuses on a surge of refugees who have fled Burma to settle in China's Yunnan province. The immigrants are primarily Muslims seeking to escape persecution from Burma's military dictatorship. Many are better educated and prosperous than their Chinese neighbors, which has created tensions. China's government leaves the refugees alone, despite supporting the Burmese dictatorship they escaped.