The Chinese Legionaries at the Western Frontier: The Military Role of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, 1960-1975

AbstractThe Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) is an important paramilitary organization in Xinjiang with the mandate of checking the Uyghur independence movement. However, in the past the XPCC also played an important military role as a strategic reserve force for the defence of Xinjiang, especially during the period of Sino-Soviet confrontation. This paper examines available documentary and archival materials on the national defence role played by the XPCC during the height of the Sino-Soviet split, especially with reference to the XPCC militia and frontier farms.