Beijing (Web Desk): The autonomous region of China, Xinjiang Uygur decided to tighten security in border areas to prevent terrorists from entering or leaving the region illegally in 2017, the chairman of the region took stance.
On Monday, Xinjiang chairman Shohrat Zakir in his work report at the annual session of the regional People's Congress in Urumqi said, the region already stepped up efforts in entry-exit management in 2016, while delivering.
A top Party official of southern Xinjiang's Kashgar prefecture Aniwar Turson said, many terrorists who carried out attacks in the region in recent years received training abroad and then returned illegally. Some also crossed the border illegally to flee.
Aniwar said, "We need to make sure not a single terrorist can get in or out of Xinjiang illegally, especially when our neighboring countries are facing rising terrorist threats."
Xinjiang, which borders eight countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been China's main battleground in the fight against terrorism.
Earlier, on Sunday night, three terrorists were killed in a police raid in southern Xinjiang's Hotan prefecture, local media reported on Monday.
According to a regional news portal, the suspected terrorists resisted arrest and were shot dead at around 8 pm. No police officers were hurt. The suspects were believed to have conducted an attack in April 2015.
A senior official of southern Xinjiang's Hotan prefecture Azez Musar claimed that terrorist cells are particularly active in border areas in Xinjiang, he added, "We must improve our ability to detect suspicious activities in those areas and conduct strict inspections near the borders in accordance with the law."
Former Party chief of the Tibet autonomous region Chen Quanguo has stepped in as the new leader of Xinjiang since more than four months.
Chen Quanguo sees keeping the region stable as the overriding political goal. Chen determined Xinjiang officials would concentrate first on maintaining social stability. The other main goal is the region's social and economic development.
Chen warned officials that they would be evaluated based on the security situation.
Both the heads of the prefecture and the county have been put under investigation since the terrorist attack left five dead in Hotan's Moyu county on Dec 28.
