Han Youwen Han Youwen ( ; 1912 – 1998 ) was an ethnic Salar Muslim General in the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China , born in Hualong Hui Autonomous County , Qinghai . Career . The book , " Who ' s who in China current leaders " shows that Han Youwen had been the chief of the " Kuomintang Qinghai province Police Bureau " , in addition to his military service as commanding the " Kuomintang First Cavalry Division " . In 1931 he joined the army under General Ma Bufang . Han was transferred from Qinghai to Xinjiang to serve in the 5th Cavalry Army under General Ma Chengxiang in the Ili Rebellion to fight against Soviet backed Uyghur rebels . Han led Chinese Muslim forces in a bloody battle against Soviet Russian and Mongol forces during the Pei - ta - shan Incident , along with General Ma Xizhen . As commander of the First Cavalry Division , General Han Youwen was sent to Beitashan by the Kuomintang military command to reinforce Ma Xizhen with a company of troops , approximately three months before the fighting broke out . At Pei - ta - shan , Major General Han Youwen was in command of all the Muslim cavalry defending against Soviet and Mongol forces . Han Youwen ( Han Yu - wen ) said " that he believed the border should be about 40 miles to the north of the mountains " to A . Doak Barnett , an American reporter . Han Youwen commanded the Pau - an - dui ( pacification soldiers ) , composed of 340 man battalions , of which he had three . They were made out of many troops , including Kazaks , Mongols , and White Russians serving the Chinese regime . He served with Osman Batur and his Kazakh forces in battling the ETR Ili Uyghur and Soviet forces around Altai . As listed in " Who ' s who in China current leaders " , in 1949 , he during the People ' s Liberation Army invasion of Xinjiang ( 1949 ) , he defected to the Communist People ' s Liberation Army , revolting against the Kuomintang in Urumqi . he continued to serve as an officer from 1949 - 1953 in the People ' s Liberation Army , " commander of the 7th Cavalry Division in the 22nd army " . In 1953 - 1954 Han was then transferred to " 3rd deputy chief of staff in Xinjiang Military Area Command " . He had switched party alleigance to the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang . The " China report " reported that in 1985 Han served as vice chairman of the " CPPCC committee " of Xinjiang , also as chairman of the " KMT revolution Committee ' s " Xinjiang branch . The report also contained a speech Han gave at a meeting . He served as one of the three Vice Chairman of Xinjiang under the Communist state . On January 16 , 1993 , in the People ' s Hall of Ürümqi he had been elected by the third session of the fourth CPPCC committee of Xinjiang , his election was reported by the media . Letter to Ma Chengxiang . After 38 years of splitting up , with Ma Chengxiang staying loyal to the Kuomintang Republic of China regime , and Han Youwen defecting to the Communist Party and staying on mainland China , Han Youwen contacted Ma Chengxiang , reminiscing about defending Chinese territory in Xinjiang ( against the Soviets and Uyghurs ) , the development of Xinjiang by the Communist party , and Islam .