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Xi Jinping

BEIJING. — Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered troops stationed in Xinjiang to deal a “crushing blow” to terrorists.
President Xi, chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when visiting the People’s Liberation Army troops stationed in Xinjiang.
Speaking with senior PLA officials on Sunday, President Xi ordered PLA forces to assist local government and party departments in combating terrorism and safeguarding social stability.

All forms of terrorism should be rooted out in an early phase, while decisive action must be taken to stop terrorists gaining momentum, he said.
In a separate meeting with officials from the PLA and China’s armed police forces in Xinjiang on Tuesday, President Xi said the long-term stability of the autonomous region is vital to the whole country’s reform, development and stability, as well as to national unity, ethnic harmony and national security.

He called on the PLA and the armed police to play a better role in protecting China’s borders and combating violent and terrorist activities.
They must work to enhance ethnic unity and should participate in and assist Xinjiang’s future development and construction, in order to contribute to the region’s lasting peace and order, President Xi said.

Meanwhile, two of the assailants who carried out a bombing in western China were among the three people killed, state media said yesterday, in an attack which also wounded 79 and has raised concerns over its apparent sophistication and daring.

The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, said on its official microblog that “two mobsters set off bombs on their bodies and died”, though the report did not call it a suicide bombing.

The other person who died was a bystander, the People’s Daily said.
Knives and explosives were used in the assault on a railway station in Urumqi on Wednesday, the first bomb attack in the capital of Xinjiang region in 17 years.

The attack was carried out soon after the arrival of a train from a mainly Han Chinese province, state media said.
The bombing was possibly timed to coincide with a visit to the region with a large Muslim minority by President Xi, when security was likely to have been heavy.

Yesterday, dozens of black police vans were parked around the station, while camouflaged police with assault rifles patrolled its entrance. Despite the security, the station was bustling and appeared to be operating normally.

Pan Zhiping, a retired expert on Central Asia at Xinjiang’s Academy of Social Science, described the attack as very well organised, saying it was timed to coincide with President Xi’s visit.

“It is very clear that they are challenging the Chinese government,” he said.
“There was a time last year when they were targeting the public security bureau, the police stations and the troops. Now it’s indiscriminate — terrorist activities are conducted in places where people gather the most.”

There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack. — Xinhua/Reuters.