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How did Tang dynasty rule increase Chinese influence in Xinjiang?

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Pagoda near Tian Lake — Xinjiang Pagoda close to Tian Lake, Ürümqi, Uyghur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, China.

During the Tang dynasty (618–907), Chinese influence in the Xinjiang region was significantly increased through the establishment of military administration and the projection of imperial power into Central Asia.1

To secure and govern the region, the Tang dynasty established two key military commanderies:
* Anxi (640): Created to administer areas south of the Tien Shan mountains.1
* Beiting (702): Established to oversee areas north of the Tien Shan.1

These commanderies served as strategic hubs for Tang authority. Furthermore, the dynasty actively expanded its reach through military campaigns; in 659, Chinese forces under the emperor Gaozong successfully subdued the western Turks, extending their influence as far west as Bukhara and Samarkand. This military presence helped protect and regulate the Silk Road, facilitating trade and cultural exchange between China and western regions, even as elements of western Asian culture were simultaneously transmitted back along these same routes.21