China calls for international cooperation to fight terror

In the wake of fresh terror threats by an Islamist militant group that has claimed responsibility for the deadly car crash in Tienanmen Square here, China today called for international cooperation to fight terrorism.
China has noted the reports about Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), active in the restive Xinjiang province, claiming responsibility for Tiananmen attack as well as making threats to carry out more attacks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters.
China refers the group as the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) which is fighting for the independence of the Xinjiang province.
The threat to carry out more attacks fully testifies the nature of this terrorist organisation, Qin said.

He also hit out at the western human rights organisations which questioned China's terming of the Tiananmen car crash as a suicide terror attack and blaming of ETIM that has carried several attacks in Xinjiang, where Uighur Muslims resent increasing settlements of Han Chinese.
"I also want to point that double standards should not be adopted in fight against terrorism. We call for international cooperation in this regard," Qin said.

Fight against ETIM should also be part of international cooperation against terrorism, he said.
"We hope relevant countries can enhance communication and cooperation in counter-terrorism and maintain peace, stability in the region and beyond," he said.

Asked about reports that some of the ETIM leaders stayed in Pakistan and whether China would take action in this regard, Qin said, "I am not aware of the specifics concerning where the head of the party is hiding. But as I have just pointed out, in terms of counter-terrorism we should enhance cooperation and coordination."
Some media reports have said that there have been over 200 attacks in the Xinjiang province in recent years causing heavy casualties.
Violent assaults in the name of "jihad" have been increasing rapidly since 2009 and had become the biggest threat to the region, the Oriental Outlook magazine said.

The recent attack in Tienanmen Square last month has brought the issue of terrorism to the forefront in the country.
An SUV vehicle ploughed through bystanders on the edge of the historic Forbidden City overlooking Tienanmen Square in Beijing on October 28 and burst into flames, killing the three people inside the car and two other people.
A three-member family from Xinjiang, including a man his mother and wife, who died in the attack were accused of carrying out the attack. Five people from Xinjiang who allegedly collaborated with the attackers have been arrested.