Joint efforts against extremism

Growing threat requires China and the US seek more common ground and develop a shared strategy in the fight against terrorism

The world is now witnessing a wave of terror threats that have never been seen before. China and the United States are no exceptions, and both are confronted with a growing terrorist threat. With this in mind, they should seek more constructive cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

Globally, after the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011, a new era of terrorism has emerged. According to a report released on July 23, 2014, by Maplecroft, a British risk consultancy, global terrorist related deaths have risen by almost a third over the last 12 months compared to the previous five-year average. Terrorism is spreading to more countries, especially in the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa. In Syria and Iraq, the sudden rise of the Islamic State extremist group poses a global threat to the international community, al-Qaida is enjoying a resurgence due to the withdrawal of international coalition forces in Afghanistan, while Boko Haram has carried out a series of shocking attacks with significant casualties in Nigeria.