No terrorist incident in Xinjiang for over 4 years due to counter-terror efforts: white paper

Tourists are seen at a teahouse in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- There has been no terrorist incident in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region since the end of 2016, said a white paper issued on Wednesday.

The infiltration of extremism has been effectively curbed, and the right to life of people of all ethnic groups has been fully protected in Xinjiang, where thousands of terrorist acts were once plotted and carried out, resulting in the deaths of large numbers of innocent civilians and hundreds of police officers, said the document.

The white paper, titled "Respecting and Protecting the Rights of All Ethnic Groups in Xinjiang," was issued by the State Council Information Office.

It said Xinjiang attaches importance to preventing terrorism at its source and has carried out preventive counter-terrorism measures, including the establishment of vocational education and training centers.