List of Famous people born in Xinjiang, People's Republic of China

Ilham Tohti is a Uyghur economist serving a life sentence in China, on separatism-related charges. He is a vocal advocate for the implementation of regional autonomy laws in China, was the host of Uyghur Online, a website founded in 2006 that discusses Uyghur issues, and is known for his research on Uyghur-Han relations. Tohti was summoned from his Beijing home and detained shortly after the July 2009 Ürümqi riots by the authorities because of his criticism of the Chinese government's policies toward Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Tohti was released on August 23rd after international pressure and condemnation. He was arrested again in January 2014 and imprisoned after a two-day trial. For his work in the face of adversity he was awarded the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award (2014), the Martin Ennals Award (2016), the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize (2019), and the Sakharov Prize (2019). Tohti is viewed as a moderate and believes that Xinjiang should be granted autonomy according to democratic principles.

Rebiya Kadeer is an ethnic Uyghur, businesswoman and political activist. Born in Altay City, Xinjiang, Kadeer became a millionaire in the 1980s through her real estate holdings and ownership of a multinational conglomerate. Kadeer held various positions in the National People's Congress in Beijing and other political institutions before being arrested in 1999 for, according to Chinese state media, sending confidential internal reference reports to her husband, who worked in the United States as a pro-East Turkistan independence broadcaster. After she fled to the United States in 2005 on compassionate release, Kadeer assumed leadership positions in overseas Uyghur organizations such as the World Uyghur Congress.

Yu Menglong, also known as Alan Yu, is a Chinese actor, singer and music video director. He is best known for his role in the hit web drama Go Princess Go (2015) as well as fantasy romance dramas Eternal Love (2017) and The Legend of White Snake (2019).

Madina Memet is a Chinese actress of Uyghur ethnicity who first rose to prominence in 2011 for playing the Fragrant Concubine in the television series New My Fair Princess. Her breakthrough role came when she played Lan Shang in the epic fantasy television drama Ice Fantasy in 2016.

Mihrigul Tursun or Mehrigul Tursun, is a former Uyghur detainee in one of the re-education camps in Xinjiang, China. Tursun said that she was taken into custody several times, including at one of a network of political "re-education camps" and that one of her sons died under mysterious circumstances while she was in the custody of Chinese authorities in 2015. Hua Chunying of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China denied Tursun's allegations and gave the Ministry's own account of events.

Osman Batyr, the son of Islambay, was born in Koktokay County, Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang, China.

Nur Bekri is a former Chinese politician of Uyghur ethnicity, best known for his term as Chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, a vast region in Northwestern China, between 2008 and 2014. Between 2014 and 2018, he was Vice-Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission and Director of the National Energy Administration, with rank equivalent of a minister. Bekri was one of the highest ranked ethnic minority officials in the Chinese government.

Duan Yihong is a Chinese actor best known for his role as Yuan Lang in Soldiers Sortie (2006), Long Wenzhang in My Chief and My Regiment (2009), and Hei Wa in White Deer Plain (2011).

Li Yapeng is a Chinese actor. He starred in two CCTV television adaptations of Louis Cha's wuxia novels; playing Linghu Chong in the 2000 series, Laughing in the Wind, and Guo Jing in the 2003 series The Legend of the Condor Heroes. In 2010 Yapeng announced his retirement from acting.

Mukhtar Abraruly Kul-Mukhammed is a Kazakh politician who served as the First Deputy Chairman of Nur Otan from 2016 to 2018, adviser to the President of Kazakhstan from 2015 to 2016, 2014 to 2015, and 2003 to 2014, Minister of Culture and Information from 2013 to 2014, State Secretary of Kazakhstan from 2012 to 2013, Minister of Culture from 2008 to 2012, akim of Kyzylorda Region from 2007 to 2008, Akorda Press Secretary from 2004 to 2007, and the Minister of Culture, Information and Public Accord from 2001 to 2004.