Xinjiang authorities will continue to crack down on international terrorism, ethnic separatism and religious extremism, said Li Donghui, vice-chairman of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Urumqi Sunday.

Li told a foreign trade fair press conference that local authorities would take harsh measures to combat terrorists such as the "East Turkistan" groups in Xinjiang in order to safeguard national unity and social stability.

The Urumqi Trade Fair, scheduled for Sep. 1 to 8, has attracted about 50,000 business people from all over China as well as Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore and other countries and regions.

Li said they had gone all out for the security of the trade fair, noting Xinjiang was witnessing its best period in history for political stability, national unity and economic development.

(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2003)