Yaqub Bek, Amir of Kashgaria, has entered into relations and signed treaties with the Russian Empire and Great Britain, but he had failed in his attempts to their support against Qing China.

Kashgar and the other cities of the Tarim basin remain under Yakub Beg's rule until May 1877, when he dies at Korla and his state collapses as Kashgaria is reconquered by the forces of the Qing general Zuo Zongtang (also known as General Tso).

Qing China recovers the Kuldja region through lengthy diplomatic negotiations in 1881 that end in the Treaty of Saint Petersburg..

Qing China renames the conquered region of Kashgaria, establishing Xinjiang ("new frontier") as a province in 1884 and formally applying onto it the political system of China proper.

For the first time, the name "Xinjiang" replaces old historical names such as "Western Regions", "Chinese Turkestan", "Eastern Turkestan", "Uyghuristan", "Kashgaria", "Uyghuria", "Alter Sheher" and "Yetti Sheher".