BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A white paper issued by China's State Council Information Office on Thursday said penetration of religious extremism has been curbed in accordance with the law in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

According to the white paper titled "Human Rights in Xinjiang - Development and Progress," influenced by international religious extremism, religious extremism has been spreading in Xinjiang in recent years.

"Extremist forces distort Islamic theology, bewitching the public, and force their extremist ideas onto others," said the white paper.

"They have masterminded large-scale incidents of violence and terrorism, injuring and killing innocent people of any ethnic group, even their fellow Islamic clerics and Muslims," it said.

To ensure citizens' right to freedom of religious belief, Xinjiang has worked hard to combat extremism, implementing the Regulations on Anti-extremism of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, strengthening management of religious affairs in accordance with the law, and preventing and neutralizing religious extremism, which have effectively curbed its spread, it said.