Capital of Qinghai province and a commercial hub along the Hexi Corridor for 2000 years, Xining has long served as a bulwark against would-be invaders, be they the nomads of bygone years or the traitors of today. As the location of major landmarks such as the Sanctuary of Kumbum (also known as Ta'er Monastery) and the Dongguan Mosque, it is important to many of the non-Han ethnicities of the region, such as Tibetans.

The core of Qinghai ever since its detachment from Gansu to become the capital of its current province in 1928, it is also the headquarters of the Qinghai Ma clique. Because of that fact, it is another center of the Northwest exile Government under the Diarchy. Though the flood of people is not as pronounced as in Wuwei, people still come here, knowing that they will be safer and freer than under whatever regimes squat in the remainder of China to the east.