The supposed imperialist, hegemonic or colonialist intentions of China and associated propaganda can be roughly divided into three categories:

1. Claims of independence of current territories from China, that China opposes or refuses to acknowledge.
2. Claims that China makes over 'new' territories
3. Claims that China is attempt to colonise through economic dependence of countries indebted to it or who have forged close economic ties with China

Claims have been made in relation to most of China's autonomous regions including:

• Tibet
• Hong Kong
• Taiwan
• Xinjiang
• Inner Mongolia

China's liberation of Tibet from feudal rule has been criticised from a romantic perspective and interpretation of history, where Tibetan culture is seen to be enshrined in the cultural practices and bodies of the ruling elite, especially the Dalai Lama.

Despite the sordid and immoral way that Hong Kong was ceded to the British, supposed democracy defenders suggest that Hong Kong 'deserves' to be separated from China and claim that China's rule of Hong Kong will be repressive - ironic in terms of the previous status of Hong Kong having no system of democracy.

Independence movements in Xinjiang have a long history, but came to the world's attention after '9/11', when the 'war on terror' provided another rationale for continuation of US imperial ambitions, which resulted in the invasion or military intervention in a series of countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya. The direct result of these interventions was the creation of extremist Salafist 'Islamic' groups who imposed their version of Islam on other Muslims through radicalisation and bullying.

The relative poverty of Xinjiang and the proximity to radicalising groups training in areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan created an ideal environment for extremism, separatism and terrorism, which manifest from 2010 onwards until it was almost entirely thwarted by the Chinese program of deradicalisation.