China should not relax its fight against terrorism

Editor's note: Bai Fan, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is an associate researcher at the Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The article reflects the author's views and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Terrorism and extremism are common enemies of humanity. China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is located in the hinterland of the Eurasian Continent, a region where various ethnic groups, as well as different cultures and religions, coexist. For some time, Xinjiang, influenced by separatists, religious extremists and terrorists, has seen frequent incidents of terrorist attacks, which have been detrimental to the lives and safety of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, trampling on their dignity. However, many terrorist organizations and terrorists hidden abroad, seeking opportunities to create trouble. This situation reminds China that it cannot relax in its fight against terrorism.   

On October 26, CGTN released a four-part documentary titled "Darkness over Urumqi: The July 5 Riots," which examines the origins and the aftermath of Xinjiang's most serious terrorist attack, which took place in 2009, and the long road to recovery.  

On July 5, 2009, the "East Turkistan" forces, operating within and outside China, engineered riots in Urumqi that shocked the whole world. Thousands of terrorists attacked civilians, government security forces, residential houses, stores, and public transportation facilities, causing 197 deaths and injuring over 1,700. These "July 5 Riots," instigated by terrorists not only brought enormous suffering to all ethnic groups in the region but also challenged the common values of peace, justice and respect for human rights.  

Terrorist organizations such as the so-called World Uyghur Congress (WUC), which planned these riots pose a serious threat to world peace and development. Just countries and people must unite to fight terrorism and should not condone terrorists who only bring them harm. 

However, the Western anti-China forces, led by the United States, have turned black into white, ignoring the violent crimes committed by terrorist organizations such as the World Uyghur Congress and instead describing them as China's "ethnic conflicts." They have even accused China of "genocide" against the Uygur population.   

The U.S. has long protected the terrorist organization, the World Uyghur Congress, which has slandered the Chinese government's anti-terrorism and de-extremism measures as "human rights violations," and has collaborated with the U.S. to propagate lies about "forced labor," "genocide," and "cultural genocide."  

In reality, it is the WUC and other terrorist organizations that have long been promoting anti-Han and separatist sentiment, fostering ethnic hatred. The WUC has actively become a tool for anti-China forces in the U.S. and other Western countries. This organization has consistently attempted to carry out separatist and terrorist activities in China, under the guise of respecting "ethnicity," "religion," "human rights" and "the right of peoples to self-determination."  

As the competition between the U.S. and China, provoked by the U.S., becomes increasingly fierce, the U.S. regards Xinjiang as an important pillar to contain China's development. The U.S. and its allies have made groundless accusations that China has committed "human rights violations" in Xinjiang. This led to the politicization of the international anti-terrorism efforts and even the promotion of "East Turkistan" forces on a global scale.

In the context of international anti-terrorism cooperation, the U.S.'s support for terrorist organizations such as the WUC constitutes an act of terrorism. The U.S. and certain Western forces distort China's anti-terrorism, de-extremism, and anti-separatist efforts in Xinjiang in an attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs, internationalize issues related to Xinjiang, and achieve its intention of "using Xinjiang to contain China." Such double standards will be condemned by people who stand for justice, and the U.S. and its allies themselves will ultimately suffer a boomerang effect.

Terrorism and extremism harm justice and fairness, pose a grave threat to international peace and security and challenge all countries and humanity as a whole. The United Nations has called on member states to take committed measures to prevent and combat terrorism. China's fight against terrorism and extremism is an essential part of the global battle against these threats. China has continuously improved its anti-terrorism legal system, strengthened its fight against terrorism, and eradicated the breeding ground for terrorism by eliminating extreme poverty. It has made significant efforts to protect the human rights of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, ensuring both public and national security.

For many years, there have been no violent terrorist incidents in Xinjiang, and the sense of security and happiness among the people has been significantly improved, providing valuable experience for international counter-terrorism cooperation.

In conclusion, the WUC is a terrorist organization, and the U.S. and other Western countries continue to apply double standards in international anti-terrorism cooperation for political purposes. This approach not only seriously infringes upon China's sovereignty, security and development interests but also violates the principles of the UN Charter and the core values of international counter-terrorism cooperation.

China has always been an active participant in global anti-terrorism governance and is committed to building a more peaceful international community that respects human rights and promotes sustainable development.

To effectively combat terrorism, China calls on certain countries to give up political manipulation, reject double standards and ensure that terrorist organizations such as the WUC have no place in the international community.                        

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