China is facing a network of militants entrenched in neighbouring states, but authorities, especially in Pakistan, are trying to stamp out violence and protect China's interests, the governor of China's Xinjiang region said on Wednesday.
China has blamed incidents of violence in Xinjiang on Islamic separatists who want to establish an independent state called East Turkestan.
Some Chinese officials have blamed attacks on militants trained in Pakistan, though China's Foreign Ministry has refrained from public criticism of Pakistan.
Xinjiang's governor, however, was more explicit.
“We have certainly discovered that East Turkestan activists and terrorists in our neighbouring states have a thousand and one links,” Nur Bekri said on the sidelines of China's annual meeting of parliament, when asked about a Pakistan connection with attacks in Xinjiang.
“But officials, especially in Pakistan, have said over and over again they oppose any violent activities directed against China and will maintain China's national sovereignty and core interests," he said.
Both Chinese and Pakistani officials have in the past said that the militants based in western China have ties to the Pakistani Taliban and other militants in northwestern Pakistani regions along the Afghan border.
Officials in Kashgar, a city in south Xinjiang, said a stabbing attack there in late July was orchestrated by members of the separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement who trained in Pakistan before returning to China.
Bekri said he was assured of Pakistani support in the campaign against militancy.
“China and Pakistan are indeed all-weather friends. This is the basis founded by the previous generations of leaders," Bekri said.
Pakistan and China have long been allies but Pakistan has leaned closer to China after its tense relationship with the United States, its major donor, was strained in May when U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan where he appears to have hidden for several years.
China sees Xinjiang as a bulwark against the predominantly Muslim countries of central Asia. The region, with a sixth of the country's land mass, is also rich in natural resources, including oil, coal and gas.
The Muslim Uighur people account for just over 40 percent of the region's 21 million population. Many chafe at government controls on their culture and religion.
Last week, the government said attackers wielding knives killed 13 people in a remote southern part of Xinjiang before police shot seven of them dead.
Exiled Uighur groups and human rights activists say China overstates the threat posed by militants in Xinjiang, which sits astride south and central Asia.
COMMENTS (41)
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@kasim.lahore: Your observations are spot on. Until there are suicidal attacks, bomb blasts and indiscriminate firing in this province, Chinese claims are totally wrong. But you wont have to wait for long, all these would happen sooner than later.
@Cynical: May be because " Divine Light" is available 24/7/365, GoP has decided to impose load shedding in Pakistan to save the Earth from polluting power generating plants.
@Cynical: Quite many bad things happening to your people under the divine light. Are you sure it is the divine light and not the lightening strike on you for all the evils you foster?
@Cynical: I can see what the divine light has done to Pakistan. Giving MFN to India and in the process losing Kashmir. Wah the great divine light has blinded me..
I think Chinese Offficials are joking. It is reported that "Some Chinese officials have blamed attacks on militants trained in Pakistan..." and "the government said attackers wielding knives killed 13 people in a remote southern part of Xinjiang".
Does any one require training in Pakistan to handle Knives? Unbelievable... ILLOGICAL... Any common person can handle the knife.
I guess China is not able to control the freedom movement. It tries to oppress Muslim people and arranging such attacks to impose restrictions on them..
@vasan
Food for thought.Haven't seen that far yet.Guess, we will cross the bridge when we get there. But remember, with the divine light shining on us all the time and at the same time blinding our enemies, the full and final victory is ours, God willing.
Thumps up china! Kill all the so called muslim terrorists, who want to destabilize your country. Don't let to be like the situation pakistan and afghanistan. otherwise you know we the peoples of Gilgit-Baltistan can also face the same problem from both sides.. Kill them all! We are with you-)
@Avatar: obviously, you are an imposter which is obvious from your name. First, remember china is no body's friend. Did they help in different wars, when we had to take the Indian might which is almost 7 times bigger. We lost Bangladesh, the Kargil & china didn't help. We gave them part of azad Kashmir, in return what did they give us? Obviously, the Godless communists state are not game with a religious pious Islamic state.
Other than those Military inclined liberal brigade here, the average Pakistani on the street hates Chinese. They do all sorts of immoral activities in message centers. There are many quacks serving Chinese medicine who are quacks. The lal masjid identified these activities & the people too.
Cynical : Just to extend ur ideas further, After forming pakistans out of USA, CHina, France etc, the new pakistans themselves will fight and split and then people will start migrating to the reduced USA, China and France. Then the cycle will start all over again in the reduced USA, China etc. What is ur proposed solution.
@Someone: "Sooner or later, kashmir is going to break away, and China which is a party in the conflict and supports Pakistan on the issue, will do a repeat “1962″ for the liberation of Kashmir! "
India and China are working through their border disputes. But they are more focused on their $70 bilion of trade. If you think China will step in to help Pak now when it has such close trade ties with India even though it did not step in 1971 then you are dreaming.
Kashmir Is our atoot ang. We provied it through 1965 war when you attacked us, through the 1990s when youy sent jihadis and in 1999 when right after signing peace treaty with India, you did Kargill."Friend of Month" club is offering membership for $19.99/mo.
@Chacha
"As per the two nation theory, muslims are a seperate nation. Does not China understand that?"
Even if they do, what difference it makes? None ? Ask me why? 'cause the chinese Muslims do not have a leader like Qaid-e-azam, at least as yet..Remember, for a theory, in fact for any theory to be put into practise you need ingredients (or players if you like) and catalyst (sometime).In China you have the players in Chinese Muslims and the rest (Buddhists,atheists whatever) but you don't have the catalyst. I doubt if we understand the true import and the power of 2 nation theory in it's entirity. This theory is one of the greatest testament of human ingenuinity, no less, if not more path breaking than the decoding of DNA structure.It's a disgrace why it didn't win a nobel prize. This theory, if applied with a kind of missionery zeal, can create a completely new world order where the balance of power will for ever change in favour of the followers of the best and the greatest religion on earth. Just to give you a glimpse into the future: Imagine, if Muslims, in countries where they are in minority demand a separate nation, can create enough noise (first vocal and then marital, if necessary) to a point when the majority agree (forced if you like) to give up a part of the land they not only share with their ancestors but also historicaly attached to it. This way you can have a Pakistan ( I mean, kind of) in every corner of the globe, in US,UK,China,Japan,Angola...Timbuctoo.....the list can be as long as you wish. But mind you, the bottom line is that you need a leader who not only need to be born in the right religion but should also have the ruthless intensity in pursuing his desired end regardless of the cost (or price) ,human or otherwise. This cost/price factor is very important, 'cause at times they act as a deterrent in pursuing an ideal.Also being concerned about costs or price is a sign of greed and martial weakness, commonly found among baniyas (traders) who are as a rule not blessed with celestic enlightenment.I am sure you have heard this 'Ideas are priceless'.
@akthar: I am a Pakistan and I pray China remains strong and united and stop misleading people in to believing that Pakistanis want China to collapse. Its the only Ally we got and it has proved to be more royal than our 'Muslim allied countries'.
This must be an American Zionist conspiracy according to Pakistani Media, never blame Pakistan but everyone else, pretty soon Pakistan will have no friends.
@Akhtar: Where oh where is the show of it being in the hearts and minds of all Pakistanis? I've seen a few empty internet comments. Am I missing something?
Once the US is out of the region China will start playing hardball with Pakistan. Then people will look back to the good old Uncle Sam years
I think Chinese drones soon appear to bomb militant hide outs. But they will drop only one bomb and then breakdown just like any other Chinese goods.
Muslims are not slaves to Chinese Hans. Chine should immediately declare independent Uighuristan exclusively for Xinjiang Muslims. Pakistan government should stop playing double games one in Kashmir and other in Xinjiang.
Just kick-out USA from the Asian Equation and there will be peace on Earth.
As per the two nation theory, muslims are a seperate nation. Does not China understand that ?
RAW and CIA should readily assist jihadis to redouble their efforts in the restive Chinese province which would serve interest of both countries by diverting attention of militants from Kashmir and Afghanistan respectively besides opening a new front for China for deployment of its forces.
Anyone with financial backing can get militants to do their bidding. Wheels r in motion to destroy Pakistan china relationship, these militants can well be from lawless areas of. Afghanistan
Can china oppress innocent muslims? The heart & minds of every Pakistani is with the Muslim brothers in china. Their plight is as worse as the Palestinians or the Kashmiri's. Inshallah, China will also break like the former soviet union where Muslims have been oppressed in Turkmenistan, azarbaijan, Chechnya & many other places.
Except a few liberal extremists here in Pakistan who are less than 1% of Pakistani's, most support the Muslim brothers in china.
@Mumbai kid: It is said that absurdity has no limits, your comment just proves that. Rather than envying and casting shadows on China-Pakistan friendship, you should be worried about your "atoot ang" Kashmir. Sooner or later, kashmir is going to break away, and China which is a party in the conflict and supports Pakistan on the issue, will do a repeat "1962" for the liberation of Kashmir!
an age old saying from our history predating the Arabian one.....one reaps what he saws....a culture of brutals eventually brings brutality......USA is reaping what it planted so China as well!!!!!
@John B,
which is the same as kashmir problem, which is same as assam problem...
@Mumbai kid: North Korea, most likely.
Misleading headline to attract Indians. Typical of E.T
US is trying to put in their assets like NATO commandos in covert missions across Syria. US is trying to create a buffer state between Pakistan and China. Its so obviously obvious!
What's next? Chinese drones now?? Who are we going to blame now? Start go China go now, mullahs?
Shame on china. On one side, they brutally oppress Innocent Uighur Muslims just like Tibetans! every Pakistani will stand shoulder to shoulder, just like they would for Kashmiris & Palestinians. Inshallah, The day will come when China will break like the soviet union & there will be liberation of Islamic Countries just like the former soviets.
.....and still we do nthing about the madrassas and their sponsors.
very Sad
Time for China to do USA on Pakistan pretty soon. Who will be your next best friend Pakistan ? Iran ??
Strategic assets have now turned their eyes on strategic "higher than mountains- deeper than sea" friend! Interesting
No.. not again our all weather friend. Blame it on America..our commomn enemy.
china is trying to defame pakistan, and also trying to destabilize indirectly by providing missiles and weapons.
Uighur problem of China is the same as Tibet and Uighur problems are same as Baluchistan problem.
Another "all weather friend" stabbed in the back. Gonna run out of friends pretty soon.