Xinjiang official stresses stability

BEIJING - Despite sporadic incidents of violence, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is in stable condition, a local official said Tuesday.

The stability and development of Xinjiang will not only benefit the people there, but also bring opportunities to central and eastern regions of China, as well as other Eurasian countries, Shi Dagang, deputy governor of the region, said at a press conference in Beijing.

Shi made the remarks following a clash between alleged terrorists and authorities in Xinjiang's Bachu county, located some 1,200 km southwest of the regional capital Urumqi, in which 15 community workers and police officers and six alleged terrorists were killed on April 23.

"The 'three evil forces' of separatism, extremism and terrorism, whose organization and backers are based overseas, are unwilling to see a prosperous, united and stable Xinjiang and use every possible method to sabotage social stability," he told the press.

Xinjiang is resolute in using the law to crack down on terrorist activities, said Shi.

Development in Xinjiang is at an historical high, as the region's gross domestic product has risen from 427.7 billion yuan ($69.2 billion) in 2009 to 750 billion yuan in 2012, he said.

The official stressed social stability and safety in Xinjiang, citing a growing number of visitors to the region.

The number of tourists to Xinjiang has grown by an average of 10 to 20 percent annually in the past decade, with more than 48 million tourists visiting the region in 2012, he said.