Arken Imirbaki

Arken Imirbaki (Uyghur: ئاركەن ئىمىرباكى, Chinese: 艾力更·依明巴海; pinyin: Àilìgēng Yīmíngbāhǎi; born September 1953) is a Chinese politician of Uyghur ethnicity.

This article is about a person whose name includes a patronymic. The article properly refers to the person by his given name, Arken, and not as Imirbaki.

Arken Imirbaki
ئاركەن ئىمىرباكى
Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
In office 14 March 2013 – 10 March 2023
Chairman	Zhang Dejiang Li Zhanshu
Chairperson of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional People's Congress
In office 2008 – January 2014
Preceded by	Abdurehim Amet
Succeeded by	Shohrat Zakir
Personal details
Born	September 1953 (age 71) Yengisar County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang
Political party	Chinese Communist Party
Alma mater	Northwest College of Light Industry

Biography

Arken was born in September 1953 in Yengisar County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang. In 1977, he graduated from the Northwest College of Light Industry. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in June 1980. In 1984, he started his political career as the deputy-director of bureau of industry of Ürümqi. Later, he served as the deputy-director of the Economic Commission of Ürümqi (1986–1992), Assistant to Mayor of Ürümqi (1992–1994), Deputy Director-General of the Economic and Trade Committee of Xinjiang (1994–1997), Director General and Deputy Secretary of Electronics Industry Department of Xinjiang (1997–1999), Secretary-General of Xinjiang Autonomous Region People's Government (1999–2001),^[1] Vice-chairman of Xinjiang Autonomous Region People's Government (2001–2008), and deputy-director of the Standing Committee of the Xinjiang People's Congress (2008–2013).^[2][3]

In 2008, Arken was elected as a delegate to 11th National People's Congress. Since 2013, he has served as a Vice Chairman of the 12th and 13th National People's Congress.^[4] He is also a member of the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.^[5]

On 7 December 2020, pursuant to Executive Order 13936, the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on all 14 Vice Chairperson of the National People's Congress, including Arken, for "undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly."^[6]