Vocational centres in Xinjiang effective in containing terrorism: China

In the wake of renewed global focus on the plight of Muslims in Xinjiang, China has said there was no crackdown on the basis of religion and that vocational centres set up in the province were aimed at countering terrorism, extremism and radicalisation.

Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong said Xinjiang has been a victim of terrorism and religious extremism since the 1990s and there has been remarkable decrease in terrorist activities in the region in last three years due counter-terror measures like setting up of the training centres.

There have been reports that Chinese authorities are holding up hundreds of thousands of Muslims in high-security detention camps in Xinjiang without trial as part of counter-terror measures.

When asked about it, Sun claimed there are no detention centres in Xinjiang and that vocational education and training facilities have been set up as per provisions of the law with an aim to eliminate the root cause for terrorism and religious extremism.

"In terms of ...