In this April 10, 2018 photo, Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits a mosque in Hotan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (LIU WEIBING / XINHUA)

URUMQI – With infiltration of religious extremism has been notably curbed, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region appears to be stable and much safer, according to a senior Chinese official.

Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the statement during a visit to Xinjiang from April 10 to April 14.

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Also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Wang said that with the significant improvement of law and order, cadres and people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have a much stronger sense of security.

In Xinjiang, the economy is growing steadily and healthily, people's livelihoods keep improving, and exchanges among and integration of ethnic groups have increased, he noted. 

"These lay a solid foundation to address the issue of maintaining long-term stability at its roots.”

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Wang asked the local officials to continue to tackle separatism, terrorism and extremism, uphold correct ideology by opposing wrong thoughts, and fight poverty in southern Xinjiang to eradicate extremism.