In Uighur heartland, China vows 'heavy pressure' to defeat militants

[WorldNews]

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By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - China will maintain "heavy pressure" to defeat militants in its far western region of Xinjiang, China's fourth most senior leader said during a visit to its ethnic Uighur heartland, urging religious figures to take the lead in opposing extremism. The government says it faces a serious threat from Islamist militants and separatists in energy-rich Xinjiang, which sits strategically on the borders of central Asia and where hundreds have died in violence in recent years. Visiting the old Silk Road city of Kashgar, deep in southern Xinjiang, Yu Zhengsheng said long-term stability must be the main goal for the region, the Xinjiang government said on its official news website on Sunday.

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