In 1937, he was dispatched by the next governor, Sheng Shicai, to the Soviet Union to serve as a consular official in the border district of Zaysan.
 The following year, he was recalled by Sheng, branded a "trotskyite" and imprisoned until 1944.
  While in prison, Burhan wrote a Uyghur-Chinese-Russian Dictionary and translated Sun Yat-sen's Three People's Principles into Uyghur.

He was released by Wu Zhongxin, the Chinese Nationalist official who replaced Sheng Shicai.
 In 1946, Burhan became the vice-chairman of a provincial coalition government formed between the Chinese Nationalists and the revolutionaries who had founded the  Second East Turkestan Republic (Second ETR) in the "Three Districts".
 He was considered a political moderate between the Nationalist Chinese and Second ETR members of the coalition.

In 1947, Burhan was transferred to Nanjing and became an official in the central government under Chiang Kai-shek.
 Later that year, he led a Xinjiang performance troupe to Taiwan and toured Keelung, Taipei, Taichung, and Kaoshiung.
 The tour came shortly after the February 28 Incident, which left many islanders hostile to mainlanders.
 Burhan gave speeches that appealed to national unity.

In 1948, he returned to Xinjiang and became the president of the Xinjiang Academy, the precursor to the Xinjiang University.
 He favored Chinese nationalism and disagreed with Turkic nationalist positions of Muhammad Amin Bughra.
 In January 1949, he replaced Masud Sabri as the chairman of Xinjiang Provincial Government.
 Sabri was anti-Soviet and opposed the Soviet-backed Ehmetjan Qasim (Akhmedjan Kasimov), who was the vice-chairman of the provincial government.
 He helped stabilize the province's finances, which was ravaged by the spread of inflation throughout Nationalist China, by restoring the local currency.
Anti Soviet sentiment was espoused by Isa Yusuf Alptekin while Pro Soviet sentiment was espoused by Burhan.
The Soviets were angered by Isa.

In September of that year, he negotiated with Deng Liqun, the Chinese Communist representative sent by Mao Zedong to the province during the waning days of the Chinese Civil War.
 On September 26, Burhan joined Nationalist general Tao Zhiyue in announcing the surrender of the province to the People's Liberation Army, paving the way for the "peaceful liberation" of Xinjiang.
 A week later, the People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded in Beijing.
In 1937, he was dispatched by the next governor, Sheng Shicai, to the Soviet Union to serve as a consular official in the border district of Zaysan.  The following year, he was recalled by Sheng, branded a "trotskyite" and imprisoned until 1944.   While in prison, Burhan wrote a Uyghur-Chinese-Russian Dictionary and translated Sun Yat-sen's Three People's Principles into Uyghur.
He was released by Wu Zhongxin, the Chinese Nationalist official who replaced Sheng Shicai.  In 1946, Burhan became the vice-chairman of a provincial coalition government formed between the Chinese Nationalists and the revolutionaries who had founded the  Second East Turkestan Republic (Second ETR) in the "Three Districts".  He was considered a political moderate between the Nationalist Chinese and Second ETR members of the coalition.
In 1947, Burhan was transferred to Nanjing and became an official in the central government under Chiang Kai-shek.  Later that year, he led a Xinjiang performance troupe to Taiwan and toured Keelung, Taipei, Taichung, and Kaoshiung.  The tour came shortly after the February 28 Incident, which left many islanders hostile to mainlanders.  Burhan gave speeches that appealed to national unity.
In 1948, he returned to Xinjiang and became the president of the Xinjiang Academy, the precursor to the Xinjiang University.  He favored Chinese nationalism and disagreed with Turkic nationalist positions of Muhammad Amin Bughra.  In January 1949, he replaced Masud Sabri as the chairman of Xinjiang Provincial Government.  Sabri was anti-Soviet and opposed the Soviet-backed Ehmetjan Qasim (Akhmedjan Kasimov), who was the vice-chairman of the provincial government.  He helped stabilize the province's finances, which was ravaged by the spread of inflation throughout Nationalist China, by restoring the local currency. Anti Soviet sentiment was espoused by Isa Yusuf Alptekin while Pro Soviet sentiment was espoused by Burhan. The Soviets were angered by Isa.
In September of that year, he negotiated with Deng Liqun, the Chinese Communist representative sent by Mao Zedong to the province during the waning days of the Chinese Civil War.  On September 26, Burhan joined Nationalist general Tao Zhiyue in announcing the surrender of the province to the People's Liberation Army, paving the way for the "peaceful liberation" of Xinjiang.  A week later, the People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded in Beijing.
Burhan Shahidi