A demonstration by ethnic Uighurs in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in western China, turned violent July 5, leaving more than 140 people dead and hundreds more injured. The demonstration was in response to a clash on June 25 between ethnic Uighur and ethnic Han workers at a factory in southeast China's Guangdong province that left two dead and 120 injured before riot police intervened. Both cases highlight the underlying ethnic and social tensions between the Han and ethnic minorities that have been exacerbated by the current economic slowdown. Much of the violence in Urumqi appears to have taken place between Xinjiang University and People's Square, near the seat of the regional government. Even after government troops claimed that order had been restored, the main roads around the university remained blocked and security forces reportedly were conducting raids on the campus. The university has been the location of demonstrations in Urumqi before, particularly during the volatile 1980s, and Beijing is concerned that students there may be behind the current unrest. Chinese officials have also blamed foreign instigators, singling out U.S.-based Rebiya Kadeer, who heads the World Uighur Congress. Click image to enlarge The high death toll and intensity of the July 5 violence — there are reports of victims having their throats slit — suggest the riot was most likely planned and not spontaneous. According to STRATFOR sources, the Chinese military deployed to Urumqi July 3, possibly in anticipation of the unrest two days later. The level of violence sets the latest Urumqi incident apart from the average riot in China, or even in restive Xinjiang province. It also indicates that a targeted campaign of killing was likely carried out by Uighur protesters or anti-riot police or both. And as more details leak out, allegations of targeted killings could incite further violence. While there are conflicting reports about the incident in Urumqi — and smaller, follow-on demonstrations that are said to be spreading to Kashgar — the ongoing Chinese response will likely be strong and swift. Beijing wants to prevent a repeat of the violence in Lhasa, Tibet, in March 2008, which continued to spread to other cities and provinces for weeks afterwards. Further concerning Beijing is the question of terrorism. Chinese officials continue to warn of the potential resurgence of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), or some variation of the longstanding but usually low-key Islamist militant movement in China. Click image to enlarge During past social upheaval in Xinjiang, the ETIM or other local movements were able to briefly garner additional members and carry out operations against the Chinese. This may be particularly worrying to Beijing at this time amid reports in Central Asia of a possible reconstitution of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (or a similar organization), which has sought to link Islamist militants from across the region under the banner of a greater Turkistan. But the more immediate concern may be revenge attacks against Uighurs. There are Uighur communities in many Chinese cities and a strong antipathy toward Uighurs by many Han, and with the attention the government is paying to alleged violence by Uighurs against Han in Urumqi, vigilante action is quite possible. It could also cause violence to spread to other parts of China.