The national security of the People's Republic of China is susceptible to an array of intricate internal challenges, risks and threats. This includes challenges that may be of a political nature, risks caused by economic and social differences, threats caused by tensions in ethnic relations, as well as many others. This paper seeks to concentrate on ethnic tensions, namely ethnic violence and terrorism, as the most substantial factors that pose a significant threat to the country's stability and security. The paper delves into the development of ethnic tensions and conflicts resulting from the interaction between Chinese authorities and factions within the Uyghur movement for national self-determination. It emphasizes the extremist current within the broader Uyghur ethnonational movement that utilizes violence and acts of terrorism in political activism. This paper aims to follow the evolution and changes of strategies and tactics employed by Uyghur nationalists in Xinjiang over time and present the most characteristic violent and terrorist incidents that occurred in Xinjiang to exemplify these alterations. These changes are reflected in increased violence, a shift in targets from primarily security forces to civilians, including violent clashes between Uyghur and Han citizens and an expansion in the geographic reach of attacks.

The article explores the European Union's approach to human rights issues in China through the processes of bilateral and multilateral dialogue on human rights between the EU and the People's Republic of China, on the one hand. On the other hand, the paper deals with the analysis of the EU's human rights policy in the specific case of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which is examined through normative and political activities of the EU, its institutions and individual member states. Besides, the paper examines China's response to the European Union's human rights approaches, in general, but also when it comes to the specific case of UAR Xinjiang. ?his is done through a review of China's discourse and behaviour within the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue framework, but also at the UN level and within the framework of bilateral relations with individual member states. The paper aims to show whether and how the characteristics of the EU's general approach to human rights in China are reflected in the individual case of Xinjiang. Particular attention shall be given to the differentiation of member states in terms of their approach to human rights issues in China, which is conditioned by the discrepancy between their political values, normative interests and ideational factors, on the one hand, and material factors and economic interests, on the other. Also, the paper aims to show the important features of the different views of the European Union and the Chinese state on the very role of Human Rights Dialogue, as well as their different understandings of the concept of human rights itself. The study concluded that the characteristics of the Union's general approach to human rights in China, as well as the different perceptions of human rights issues between China and the EU, were manifested in the same way in the case of UAR Xinjiang.

The People's Republic of China has long sought to improve its image in the world through various and numerous forms of public and cultural diplomacy. Since China became one of the important and influential actors at international level, there was a need to change their perspective concerning others, but also to change the perspective of others concerning China. To achieve that, the People's Republic of China has begun to implement a proactive strategy of public and cultural diplomacy, which will promote it as a responsible great power and which will contribute to the formation of a positive narrative in international relations. The Chinese authorities, with several major initiatives involving economic, political and cultural strategies are seeking to improve and promote their country's image as a trusted political and economic partner. In the process, culture and cultural exchange are becoming one of China's most important tools for increasing its soft power. As these initiatives include the Western Balkans, and thus the Republic of Serbia, China, as elsewhere, uses various methods and instruments of cultural diplomacy, ranging from Confucius Institutes and academic cooperation to the internationalization of the Chinese media as well as Chinese presence in the media of these countries. Accordingly, the aim of the paper is to present and describe how these instruments work in the Western Balkans, and how they are applied in the Republic of Serbia in comparison with other countries in the region.