The preventive counterterrorism and deradicalization measures taken in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have significantly contributed to the international counterterrorism cause, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday. 

With these measures, China has also been putting into practice the UN Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, Wang added. 

"A few Western countries, including the United States, have been attacking and discrediting China's just measures out of political motives in disregard of facts. China firmly opposes that and their slanders will not gain any recognition from the international community," Wang said while addressing a Security Council ministerial debate on the cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations in maintaining international peace and security. 

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The government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has worked actively and learned from other countries' practices to advance preventive counterterrorism and deradicalization in accordance with the law, Wang said 

It has curbed the rampant and frequent terrorist activities in the region and safeguarded the rights to subsistence and development, among other basic rights, of the 25 million residents in Xinjiang, he added. 

China's concrete counterterrorism proposals

Wang, during the debate, also offered concrete counterterrorism proposals for the world to confront a resurgence of terrorism, and called for stepped-up international cooperation against a grim backdrop. 

Counterterrorism should be a shared responsibility of all nations, the Chinese foreign minister noted.

"All countries should keep the concept of 'a community with a shared future for mankind' in mind, address both symptoms and root causes with comprehensive measures, jointly fight terrorism, push for political solutions to flashpoint issues, and advocate mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations and religions." 

To this end, Wang put forward four proposals. 

First, a resolute crackdown must be carried out on terrorist activities, regardless of their perpetrators, time and location, or pretexts; there shouldn't be any double standard or selective fight; and there should be zero geopolitical interest involved as well as no linkage between terrorism and a specific nation, ethnic group or religion. 

Second, combating cyber terrorism must be prioritized to prevent the internet from becoming a "safe haven" for terrorists; and the spread of extreme thoughts online by terrorist groups to incite terrorist activities must be severely cracked down. 

Third, prevention should be the key, and the root causes of terrorism must be eliminated; deradicalization measures must be actively adopted to deter the spread of extreme thoughts and leave terrorism no breeding ground; the argument of "clash of civilizations" must be discarded and not exploited to terrorists' advantage; and the fundamental solution lies in development, sustainable development in particular. 

Fourth, the UN and its Security Council should play a central role and strengthen coordination at national, regional and global levels to implement related resolutions; and UN member states must also make their own efforts. 

"China will continue to be deeply involved in international counterterrorism cooperation," Wang said. 

(With input from Xinhua)