Interview with Xinjiang government chief on counterterrorism, vocational education and training

Xinhua News Agency published an interview with Shohrat Zakir, chairman of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Tuesday about counterterrorism and the region's vocational education and training program. The following is the full transcript of the interview:

Would you please brief us on the current situation in Xinjiang, given that under the influence of international terrorism and religious extremism the number of violent terrorist attacks had been on the rise in parts of the region over a period of time?

Since the 1990s, the "three evil forces" (terrorism, extremism and separatism) in China and abroad have plotted, organized and conducted thousands of violent terrorist attacks including bombings, assassinations, poisoning, arson, assaults, unrest and riots, causing the deaths of a large number of innocent people and hundreds of police officers, as well as immeasurable property damage. The horrific crimes of terrorists not only severely undermined the stable and peaceful order and the atmosphere of solidarity and progress of Xinjiang but also trampled on the essential human rights of people of all ethnic groups in the region, such as their rights to life, health, property and development. People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang were enraged and shared hatred toward the terrorist crimes. A child of a Uygur police officer who died in the line of duty wrote me a letter. In emotional words, the letter reads: "My father sacrificed his life on the counterterrorism front line. His upright personality will always inspire me. I hope that the Party and government can unwaveringly root out terrorism so that no child grows up without their father."