Modern missions in Xinjiang (from contemporaries in the West during the 1920s and 1930s known as Sinkiang) were mounted by the
Scheutists from their neighboring Apostolic Vicariate of Kansu (now
Archdiocese of Lanzhou), under its authority.
This Independent Mission of Ili was suppressed on 8 March 1922 by
Pius XI's
papal brief (breve) Apostolatus officium, incorporating its territory in the
Western Kansu (the former Kansu; two year later renamed Lanchowfu).
History
Established on 14 February 1930 as Mission sui juris of Xinjiang 新疆 (中文) / Urumqi 烏魯木齊 (中文) / Sinkiang / Xinjiang-Urumqi 新疆烏魯木齊 (中文) / Sinkiangen(sis) (Latin) by
Pius XI's papal brief Decet Romanum Pontificem, on Ili's former territory, split off from the then
Apostolic Vicariate of Lanchowfu 蘭州府), but now confided to the
Divine Word Missionaries.
Promoted on 21 May 1938 as Apostolic Prefecture of Xinjiang 新疆 (中文) / Urumqi 烏魯木齊 (中文) / Sinkiang / Xinjiang-Urumqi 新疆烏魯木齊 (中文) / Sinkiangen(sis) (Latin)[1]