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| China’s Leader Lays Out Plan to Pacify Restive Region | China’s Leader Lays Out Plan to Pacify Restive Region |
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| BEIJING — As the Communist Party struggles to tamp down a deadly wave of ethnic violence in the western region of Xinjiang, the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, has called for tighter state control over religion and for moving more ethnic Uighurs to inland areas of China where they can be educated and work among the ethnic Han, the nation’s dominant group. | BEIJING — As the Communist Party struggles to tamp down a deadly wave of ethnic violence in the western region of Xinjiang, the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, has called for tighter state control over religion and for moving more ethnic Uighurs to inland areas of China where they can be educated and work among the ethnic Han, the nation’s dominant group. |
| Mr. Xi, who spoke at a two-day Beijing work session on Xinjiang attended by the party’s top officials, said the party and the state should establish “correct views about the motherland and the nation” among all ethnicities so that people from all the groups would recognize the “great motherland,” the “Chinese nation,” “Chinese culture,” and “the socialist path with Chinese characteristics.” | Mr. Xi, who spoke at a two-day Beijing work session on Xinjiang attended by the party’s top officials, said the party and the state should establish “correct views about the motherland and the nation” among all ethnicities so that people from all the groups would recognize the “great motherland,” the “Chinese nation,” “Chinese culture,” and “the socialist path with Chinese characteristics.” |
| Mr. Xi’s remarks were summarized in an article by Xinhua, the state news agency, that was widely printed in state-run newspapers on Friday. | Mr. Xi’s remarks were summarized in an article by Xinhua, the state news agency, that was widely printed in state-run newspapers on Friday. |
| Mr. Xi also defended the party’s recent policies in Xinjiang, even though those policies have led to frustration among many Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking people who mostly practice a moderate form of Sunni Islam. | Mr. Xi also defended the party’s recent policies in Xinjiang, even though those policies have led to frustration among many Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking people who mostly practice a moderate form of Sunni Islam. |
| “Practice has proved that our party’s ruling strategy in Xinjiang is correct and must be maintained in the long run,” Mr. Xi said. “We should remain composed and confident of our strategy.” | “Practice has proved that our party’s ruling strategy in Xinjiang is correct and must be maintained in the long run,” Mr. Xi said. “We should remain composed and confident of our strategy.” |
| The Uighurs mostly live in oasis towns in the desert region of southern Xinjiang, in border areas to the west and in small enclaves in the regional capital, Urumqi. The Communist Party’s policies have included developing natural resource industries, including oil, gas and coal extraction, in the region — an economic approach that mostly benefits ethnic Han — and deploying Han-dominated security forces to suppress ethnic unrest. | The Uighurs mostly live in oasis towns in the desert region of southern Xinjiang, in border areas to the west and in small enclaves in the regional capital, Urumqi. The Communist Party’s policies have included developing natural resource industries, including oil, gas and coal extraction, in the region — an economic approach that mostly benefits ethnic Han — and deploying Han-dominated security forces to suppress ethnic unrest. |
| Officials have also arrested moderate Uighur intellectuals, most notably Ilham Tohti, a university professor in Beijing, who have called for fairer government policies and greater dialogue between Uighurs and Han. Mr. Tohti was charged in February with inciting separatism. | Officials have also arrested moderate Uighur intellectuals, most notably Ilham Tohti, a university professor in Beijing, who have called for fairer government policies and greater dialogue between Uighurs and Han. Mr. Tohti was charged in February with inciting separatism. |
| The party has also encouraged broad Han migration to Xinjiang, including to large settlements with military ties called bingtuan. The Han, including recent settlers, dominate most industries across Xinjiang. | The party has also encouraged broad Han migration to Xinjiang, including to large settlements with military ties called bingtuan. The Han, including recent settlers, dominate most industries across Xinjiang. |
| Mr. Xi said a reverse migration should be encouraged: the state should send Uighurs to Han parts of China for education and work, in order “to enhance mutual understanding among different ethnic groups and boost ties between them.” | Mr. Xi said a reverse migration should be encouraged: the state should send Uighurs to Han parts of China for education and work, in order “to enhance mutual understanding among different ethnic groups and boost ties between them.” |
| It was exactly this kind of policy of promoting Uighur internal migration and employment in Han companies that was a major factor in setting off deadly ethnic rioting in Urumqi in 2009. The riots, in which about 200 or more people were killed, most of them Han, began after security forces confronted Uighur protesters in Urumqi who were demanding an investigation into a deadly factory brawl in faraway Guangdong Province. That brawl had begun over rumors that Han men at the factory had tried to rape one or more female Uighur workers there. | It was exactly this kind of policy of promoting Uighur internal migration and employment in Han companies that was a major factor in setting off deadly ethnic rioting in Urumqi in 2009. The riots, in which about 200 or more people were killed, most of them Han, began after security forces confronted Uighur protesters in Urumqi who were demanding an investigation into a deadly factory brawl in faraway Guangdong Province. That brawl had begun over rumors that Han men at the factory had tried to rape one or more female Uighur workers there. |
| In his remarks, Mr. Xi also emphasized strengthening state control over religion, and presumably worship of Islam in particular, saying that officials “should focus on cultivating a team of patriotic religious people and taking effective measures to improve the quality of people of the religious circle.” He added that the positions of religious leaders should be tightly held by those who “love the country and love their religion.” Party leaders have said for years that the problems in Xinjiang are rooted in separatism, terrorism and religious extremism. | In his remarks, Mr. Xi also emphasized strengthening state control over religion, and presumably worship of Islam in particular, saying that officials “should focus on cultivating a team of patriotic religious people and taking effective measures to improve the quality of people of the religious circle.” He added that the positions of religious leaders should be tightly held by those who “love the country and love their religion.” Party leaders have said for years that the problems in Xinjiang are rooted in separatism, terrorism and religious extremism. |
| Mr. Xi spoke vaguely of a “special policy” that he planned to put in place for the development of the southern part of Xinjiang, which has a large Uighur population and is more conservative. That policy, he said, would be designed at the top levels of the state and would use “special measures” to “deal with special things.” | Mr. Xi spoke vaguely of a “special policy” that he planned to put in place for the development of the southern part of Xinjiang, which has a large Uighur population and is more conservative. That policy, he said, would be designed at the top levels of the state and would use “special measures” to “deal with special things.” |
| The deadliest recent burst of violence in Xinjiang took place on May 22, when attackers drove two cars into a morning market crowded with older Han shoppers and threw homemade explosives from the cars. At least 39 people were killed and 94 were injured. The cars exploded, and four attackers died at the scene. The state news media later announced the detention of a fifth person. All the suspects had Uighur names, according to state news reports. | The deadliest recent burst of violence in Xinjiang took place on May 22, when attackers drove two cars into a morning market crowded with older Han shoppers and threw homemade explosives from the cars. At least 39 people were killed and 94 were injured. The cars exploded, and four attackers died at the scene. The state news media later announced the detention of a fifth person. All the suspects had Uighur names, according to state news reports. |
| Officials have not presented evidence that the attack and other recent ones were the work of an organized terrorist group, and no such groups has stepped forward to claim responsibility or make demands. The recent attacks have been aimed at civilians, so there are many Chinese and some foreign officials who say the attacks are terrorism. | Officials have not presented evidence that the attack and other recent ones were the work of an organized terrorist group, and no such groups has stepped forward to claim responsibility or make demands. The recent attacks have been aimed at civilians, so there are many Chinese and some foreign officials who say the attacks are terrorism. |
| On March 1, five people from Xinjiang carried out a knife attack at a train station in the city of Kunming, in southwest China, fatally stabbing at least 29 civilians and injuring at least 140 others. Security officers killed four of the attackers and arrested one person, according to official news reports. | |
| On Thursday, Caixin, a respected newsmagazine, reported that security forces in Xinjiang were taking “temporary control” of popular online messaging services. Officials have said such tools can spread dissident thoughts. The article, citing a police official who was not named, said officers would monitor and censor the messaging platforms. These include WeChat and QQ, as well as mobile phone texting. Following the riots in 2009, officials in Xinjiang blocked access to most Internet websites for about a year and closely monitored and censored cellphone texts. | On Thursday, Caixin, a respected newsmagazine, reported that security forces in Xinjiang were taking “temporary control” of popular online messaging services. Officials have said such tools can spread dissident thoughts. The article, citing a police official who was not named, said officers would monitor and censor the messaging platforms. These include WeChat and QQ, as well as mobile phone texting. Following the riots in 2009, officials in Xinjiang blocked access to most Internet websites for about a year and closely monitored and censored cellphone texts. |
| The state news media also reported Friday that 850,000 volunteers would start walking the streets of Beijing to help the police maintain stability. One report said the city also had 100,000 people to help with information collection, and that civilians would be paid 40,000 renminbi, or about $6,500, if they turn in information critical to security. People working on the street, including newspaper vendors and shoe cobblers, would report suspicious activity to a “social service management system.” | The state news media also reported Friday that 850,000 volunteers would start walking the streets of Beijing to help the police maintain stability. One report said the city also had 100,000 people to help with information collection, and that civilians would be paid 40,000 renminbi, or about $6,500, if they turn in information critical to security. People working on the street, including newspaper vendors and shoe cobblers, would report suspicious activity to a “social service management system.” |
| The articles said these were “anti-terrorist” efforts. Security forces in the city have been on high alert now for any political activity in the days leading up to the 25th anniversary of the June 4 state massacre of students and other civilians that ended the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. The police have already detained or questioned dozens of liberal Chinese. | The articles said these were “anti-terrorist” efforts. Security forces in the city have been on high alert now for any political activity in the days leading up to the 25th anniversary of the June 4 state massacre of students and other civilians that ended the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. The police have already detained or questioned dozens of liberal Chinese. |