West-to-east energy, east-to-west computing: The Uyghur costs of China’s digital order

October 1, 2026

In September 2026, China hosted a Shanghai Cooperation Organization Digital Economy Forum in Urumqi, capital of the Uyghur region, positioning the area as a gateway for Chinese digital infrastructure into Central Asia while rebranding a region known for human rights violations as an innovation showcase. The forum established cooperation frameworks across nine SCO member states covering digital infrastructure, AI, and data governance, with China promoting its technical standards and "East Data, West Computing" strategy that relocates energy-intensive data centers to resource-rich western regions. This digital expansion builds upon decades of energy extraction from the Uyghur region, now adding computing power to existing coal, gas, and electricity exports, while Uyghurs face displacement, labor transfers, and continued surveillance without meaningful political participation or economic control.

Who is affected

Uyghurs in the Uyghur region (Xinjiang) who face displacement, loss of land-based livelihoods, state-directed labor transfers, surveillance, and lack of control over resources and data
Nine SCO member states (Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) participating in digital cooperation agreements
Populations in Central Asian countries where Chinese digital infrastructure, standards, and governance models are being implemented
Chinese state officials and large enterprises controlling digital and energy infrastructure projects
International telecommunications and railway institutions connecting data systems between China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Pakistan

What action is being taken

Chinese officials are building large computing clusters with tens of thousands of accelerator cards in and around Urumqi
Authorities are transmitting electricity from the Uyghur region to more than 20 provincial-level areas in China
A cooperative platform is monitoring developments monthly, reviewing projects quarterly, and conducting bilateral or multilateral exchanges every six months
Chinese and Kazakh railway institutions are connecting data and pre-screening freight documents for the trans-Caspian route
Regional officials are seeking a national internet backbone direct-connection point and full-service international communications gateway
State-mandated labor-transfer programs affecting Uyghurs are ongoing

Why it matters

This initiative represents a significant expansion of authoritarian digital governance across Eurasian borders, combining economic extraction with political control. The forum establishes frameworks that could determine who controls data, how systems communicate, and what forms of state access are built into digital infrastructure across multiple countries, potentially prioritizing state control and regime stability over transparency, accountability, and human rights. For Uyghurs specifically, it deepens existing patterns of extraction and surveillance while denying them political participation or economic benefit from their homeland's resources. The lack of transparency, human rights safeguards, and independent oversight means that digital cooperation may embed authoritarian governance models more deeply across borders, making them harder to challenge while potentially exporting surveillance capabilities developed against Uyghurs to other populations.

What's next

Regional officials plan to eventually expand computing clusters to hundreds of thousands of accelerator cards
China plans to build a regional alliance to promote digital standards with regular technical training and alignment with certification systems
Chinese officials are seeking approval for a national internet backbone direct-connection point and full-service international communications gateway in the region
The List of Priority Cooperation Items contains nearly 20 cooperation intentions across more than 10 sectors to be implemented during 2026-2027
Officials plan to export computing power and AI tokens toward Central Asian and wider Eurasian markets

Read full article from source: Global Voices