Editor's note: Keith Lamb is a University of Oxford graduate with an MSc degree in Contemporary Chinese Studies. His primary research interests are international relations of China and China's "socialism with Chinese characteristics." The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Friday warned there would be more attacks, as the country was placed on maximum security alert, following Thursday's deadly attack by a knife-wielding man, who killed three, at the Basilica of Notre-Dame in the southern city of Nice.

France's maximum-security alert level means "repressive measures" will be carried out such as arrests without warrants, police raids on premises and the blocking of websites with harmful terrorist material.

President Emmanuel Macron, who has called the deadly stabbing an "Islamist terrorist attack," announced that there will be increased surveillance of churches and military patrols on the streets. Troops guarding the streets will be bolstered, in number, from 3,000 to 7,000.

France is already involved in targeting factions who support the ideology involved in these terrorist attacks and no doubt more resources will be spent in the surveillance of implicated groups.

The fact that groups involved in these terrorist attacks tend to be young men from certain ethnic groups, who believe in an extreme version of Islam, means that more of the French state's attention will be directed to them and their communities that breed this sort of terror.

One could say this is discriminatory and a violation of human rights. No doubt if it was China putting troops on the streets and making warrantless arrests to prevent terrorism, the West would rally against China. For France however, these justifiable measures come too late for those who have already lost their lives due to terrorism.

The irony is that President Macron was only last September complaining about China's "human rights abuses" in Xinjiang and its treatment of the Uygurs. No doubt President Macron had in mind the "three million" Uygurs in camps, or the "enslavement and genocide" that are allegedly taking place in Xinjiang. However, if this is what he believes then he is woefully wrong.

Thus far all claims have been debunked and the "research" has all been conveniently generated by U.S. CIA-backed forces and the military industrial complex. Of course, none of this will come out in the mainstream Western press.

For France though, it should know better. It never did get taken in by the bogus trumped-up Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) claims. As such, because France knew the claims were geopolitically motivated, it never did send troops to Iraq to take part in one of the greatest human rights atrocities of this century.

What is going on in Xinjiang is in fact similar methods to what the French are employing today. Take for example Chinese troops were placed on the streets of Urumqi after riots linked to Islamic terrorist groups in 2009. In the riots, 197 people were killed in just a few days. Assuming one believes Chinese lives and order are important then troops were stationed on the streets of Urumqi is both reasonable and responsible.

The terrorist attacks that have taken place in France, while tragic, are a drop in the ocean compared to the thousands of terrorist attacks that had taken place across Xinjiang. The fact is a Chinese person's life is just as valuable as a French person's life and the Chinese government has just as much responsibility to protect Chinese citizens as the French government has to protect French citizens.

China in its battle to counter jihadi ideology has set up education centers. This is no different to France which in September 2016 opened its first de-radicalization center, in Pontourny, for would-be jihadists.

Originally, the French government, who believes that 9,300 people in France had been radicalized, planned to house 3,600 at 13 centers, known as "Centers for Prevention, Integration and Citizenship," to complete a ten-month curriculum.

However, in France, the centers, which were voluntary, have been a disaster because few attended. The fact is those who slice off innocent heads in churches and those who butcher citizens in train stations believe their actions are justified. As such, because they do not believe they are morally corrupt means that they will not voluntarily attend a course to change their views.

China due to the concern for the victims of terrorism, due to the concern of the human rights of potential victims and due to the concern of those who might harbor jihadi beliefs that breed terrorism, did carry out successfully the measures that France has failed in. Today in China, jihadi terrorism has been curbed while in France it continues.

So far, this analysis has treated France and China as if they share similar conditions with the only difference being that China has been successful at dealing with its problem while France has not. In fact, there are differences that stretch beyond just the far greater in number, but largely unreported, terrorist attacks in China. For example, there are significant differences in China and France's, historical and current, actions toward Muslims across the world. France interferes in other states' internal affairs, while China has a policy of non-interference.

France has been involved in a number of invasions and interventions that feeds terrorism in both France and China. France took part in the invasion of Afghanistan whose destabilization has played a prominent role in radicalizing Uygurs. France, along with the UK, led the charge in the destruction of Libya. It was French President Nicolas Sarkozy who made it his mission to gather an international coalition to wage war on Libya. Currently, France is also engulfed in the mess that is Syria. While being against President Assad, France has simultaneously bombed ISIL in Syria which has attracted Uygur jihadis to their ranks.

France's foreign wars and interventions have destabilized and de-developed the world. This has led to refugees pouring into Europe which has in turn undermined the stability of European countries. Furthermore, the atrocities in Afghanistan, Libya and Syria are human rights disasters that are unmatched in our time.

The tragedy we see in France today has disrupted the daily lives of, secular and religious, French citizens. It has led to a drastic reaction from the French state to restore order. It will lead to further scrutiny of members from groups implicated in the terror attacks which will surely lead to some innocent citizens from these groups feeling victimized. However, the sobering truth is that, the tragedy that is occurring in France today pales in comparison to the tragedy and destruction France's actions have inflicted on Muslims across the world.

For now, troops on the street and de-radicalization efforts to combat the symptoms of terrorism are justified. However, the twin forces of de-development and the atrocity of war need to be treated in the long run. This is because de-development creates poverty and atrocity demands vengeance which forge the perfect breeding ground for terrorism.

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