Xinjiang has long faced the threat of terror attacks. Officials say the region is taking measures to fight terrorism in accordance with the law - which includes the vocational education and training programs. CGTN's Cui Hui'ao visited one center to learn more.

It is hard to imagine that this dancing Uyghur girl was just one step away from becoming a terrorist. In 2015, like most high school graduates, Dilireba Alimu attended the college entrance exam and was admitted to Shenzhen university. Instead of starting her college life, Dilireba was influenced by her friend and flew to Turkey to attend classes, which taught her the Quran at first, but then something else.

DILIREBA ALIMU, ATTENDEE KASHI VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER "That class always taught us heretics are taking our land and natural resources. We (Uyghur people) must fight for what belongs to us and battle for Muslims. They also told us there was a (terrorist) group that was hiring and provided free training for Muslims to become jihadists."

Two years later, Dilireba returned to Kashi where she attended her brother's funeral. It was around this time that she heard one of her classmates Hali Del had carried out a terrorist attack in Istanbul. Dilireba says she was terrified when she heard about the attack because she never thought she was this close from being a part of a terrorist group. Meanwhile, all of her friends from high school are busy with college.

DILIREBA ALIMU, ATTENDEE KASHI VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER "They are studying in college, in different places, including Shanghai and Peking University. I see they are doing well in their lives. My mom was disappointed with me. She persuaded me to study here (Kashi Vocational Education and Training Center)."

As part of China's counter-terrorism and extremism measures, Xinjiang launched the vocational education and training program. Most of the attendees are influenced by terrorism and extremist thoughts.

MIJITI MAIHEMOTI, DIRECTOR KASHI VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER "The people who study here, some of them are suspected of minor criminal offenses but they do not have to be subject to penalties or criminal punishment. The purpose of establishing the institution is to save and educate them."

The program is designed to improve students' abilities in commanding the country's common language, acquiring legal knowledge and vocational skills. Like most boarding schools, students here take classes, play sports, and some go home once a week.

DILIREBA ALIMU, ATTENDEE KASHI VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER "Besides studying, I am also here to learn dancing. As a Uyghur, I feel ashamed that I don't even know our folk dance. Recently I became interested in hip-hop, and I feel my life is so good."

Dilireba says her goal is to re-attend the college entrance exam. And this time, she hopes she can study at a university — a trajectory she says will steer her life back on the right track.

Cui Hui'ao, CGTN, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.