China: Ramadan holy month celebrations begin May 26-27

Event

On May 26-27, Muslims will begin their month-long celebration of Ramadan. The end of the month of Ramadan, marked by the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations, will take place on June 25. Though practices can vary by country, many businesses, restaurants, and government administrations are expected to operate on a reduce schedule during this holy month. Diplomatic missions may also operate on a similar schedule. However, China is likely to impose its customary ban on civil servants, teachers, and students from fasting during Ramadan in the mainly Muslim northwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where Muslims constitute 58 percent of the population.

Transportation disruptions are to be anticipated during this period due to an increased number of travelers, especially in airports. Heavy traffic after sundown (particularly over weekends) is to be anticipated as Muslims typically gather to celebrate the holy month with family. Furthermore, traffic accidents tend to increase during Ramadan (especially at dusk) due to a combination of exhaustion, hunger, dehydration, and impatience.

Additionally, expect tight security measures in major urban areas due to a heightened terror threat. In 2016, Islamic State (IS) called on its members to perpetrate attacks coinciding with Ramadan. Some regional terrorist groups followed suit. Finally, local authorities typically observe an increase in incidents of petty crime during this period.

Context

Ramadan is a period of reflection and self-restraint and carries great significance within the Muslim calendar. Muslims traditionally observe daytime fasting and are called to practice increased devotion.

China’s restive western Xinjiang province region passed a new regulation on March 29 to curb religious extremism. The regulation bans a wide range of acts, including wearing veils or growing beards, refusing to watch state television or listen to state radio, and preventing children from receiving national education. 

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is a sensitive area in China. The Muslim Turkish-speaking Uyghur minority present in the region feels marginalized by the Chinese authorities, who reject the community’s demand for a separate Uyghur state. Many Muslim Uyghurs feel they are oppressed and discriminated against by the Chinese government, which has imposed strict controls over the observance of Muslim customs and practices. Uyghur separatists claim the region, also referred to as East Turkestan, was illegally incorporated in the People’s Republic of China at its creation in 1949 and has, since then, been under Chinese occupation. The East Turkestan independence movement is led by Turkic Islamist organizations, which have carried out several waves of violence against the Chinese government, including several terrorist attacks (car bombings, knife attacks) in 2013-14. Ethnic tensions regularly lead to sporadic knife attacks perpetrated by Uyghur extremists.

Advice

Individuals in China are advised not to eat, drink, or smoke in public by day in Muslim-majority areas during this period. Travelers are also advised to allow additional time for travel and to avoid any form of public demonstration or public gathering.

Those present in the country's northwest are advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious objects or behavior to authorities.