Rallying call for concerted fight against terrorism: China Daily editorial

The white paper the State Council Information Office published on Tuesday offers a systemic review of the institutional progress the country has made in the fight against terrorism, and demonstrates the country's commitment to upholding the rule of law in its efforts to counter terrorism.

The document, China's Legal Framework and Measures for Counterterrorism, introduces in detail the legal framework for the fight against terrorism, the provisions for the determination and punishment of terrorist activities, as well as the measures that are taken to protect human rights in the process of effectively protecting people's lives and property and safeguarding national security.

By shining a light on its counterterrorism work, China has highlighted the straightforwardness of its undertakings, which is in contrast to some countries which seek to manipulate counterterrorism for geopolitical purposes. The white paper offers other countries the means to gain a better understanding of China's policies, laws and practices pertaining to counterterrorism. It is to be hoped that it can help promote closer international cooperation and exchanges in this crucial endeavor by building trust.

As a nation that has paid a heavy price for terrorist attacks, China's resolve to fight against terrorism and eradicate all terrorist roots in Chinese soil and its capacity to accomplish that objective should never be underestimated.

The document can also be regarded as a powerful rebuttal of the double standard adopted by some countries in criticizing China's counterterrorism efforts under the pretext of defending the "rule of law" and "human rights".

Those Western politicians attacking China's counterterrorism cause, citing "human rights violations", are doing nothing but smearing the country for their own narrow political ends. They are selectively blind to the heavy loss of life in China as a result of terrorist attacks. As long as the terrorists can cause social unrest and chaos, or in other ways hinder or disturb China's development, they are regarded as friendly forces in the same trench with the China hawks in the West, and even be praised as "brave freedom fighters". This double standard has weakened the foundations for counterterrorism cooperation, severely hampering the global fight against terrorism.

China has established cooperation mechanisms with dozens of countries and law-enforcement departments to combat terrorism in border areas, and it has engaged in pragmatic exchanges and cooperation in intelligence, border control, and the investigation and handling of cases, and cut off funds for terrorism.

With the release of the white paper, China hopes that more countries will recognize its efforts and actively cooperate with it so that the scourge of terrorism can be eradicated.