The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region shares borders with countries including Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
China has been accused of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, including that at least 1 million Uygurs and other Muslim minorities were held in mass internment camps. Beijing has denied the claims, saying the centres were for “vocational training” and that its policies in the region are aimed at cracking down on terrorism and extremism.
It called for the sense of identity and community to be strengthened among all ethnic groups, with more efforts needed to publicise, educate, research and interpret the idea of the Chinese nation’s “one common community”.
The party’s regional committee also said the legal framework for governing religious affairs should be improved.
On developing the region, it said oil and gas exploration and development should be accelerated, with more efforts towards clean and efficient use of coal, developing green energy, and exploration of strategic mineral resources.
The committee also urged the regional government to speed up development of a free-trade pilot zone and projects linking to Central Asia.
In addition, the statement echoed a pledge made last week by Yin Bai, who heads the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission that oversees security and law enforcement in China, to prevent and resist “colour revolutions”.
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China set to drill Asia’s deepest crude-oil well in Xinjiang
China set to drill Asia’s deepest crude-oil well in Xinjiang
The regional committee on Saturday also approved a decision to expel former Xinjiang deputy security chief Ma Guoqiang from the party, according to Xinjiang Daily. Ma, 51, was placed under investigation for corruption in August last year. He has mostly worked in Xinjiang’s Aksu prefecture, where a dozen officials have been investigated for corruption in recent years.
In March, Dou Wangui – Ma’s former boss in Aksu and vice-chairman of Xinjiang’s political advisory body – was also placed under investigation for graft.
