Clergy urged to lead battle against extremism spread

Religious extremism has started to spread into inland provincial areas from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, according to China's top religious affairs official, who urged the China Islamic Association to step up services for Muslim migrants and lead the fight against extremist thoughts.

Wang Zuo'an, head of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, said at the National Congress of the China Islamic Association on Saturday that the infiltration of extremist thoughts into the eastern and central areas deserves close attention.

"(The Islamic clergy) should stand in the front line in the fight to curb religious extremism ... and put in time and energy to convert the mindset of those people influenced by extremist thoughts," he said.