Xinjiang conducts joint armed exercise on counterterrorism, deterrence

To implement the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)'s deployment for advancing the counterterrorism and stability maintenance efforts in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region under the rule of law and in a normalized manner, Xinjiang on Monday conducted the joint armed exercise "Counterterrorism Deterrence-2025" in the Ili River Valley, Xinjiang Daily reported on Tuesday.

The exercise aimed to strengthen armed deterrence, enhance combat readiness, and fully demonstrated Xinjiang's resolve to consolidate border defense and lawfully combat violent terrorist activities, resolutely safeguarding national political security and social stability in Xinjiang, the news report said.

The 4,000-strong task force consisted of military, armed police, border inspection, public security, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps personnel, supported by mobilized drones, armored vehicles, assault vehicles, and other equipment.

The exercise included operations such as joint border reconnaissance and apprehension, port interception of cross-border infiltration, urban residential area lockdown and capture, border interdiction of illegal crossings, and mountainous area search-and-destroy missions, all of which were successfully completed.  

The exercise was meticulously organized and efficiently executed with strong coordination. It comprehensively tested the participating forces' capabilities in emergency command, intelligence gathering, perimeter control, apprehension operations, rapid reinforcement, and civil-military coordination, further enhancing Xinjiang's operational proficiency in combating violent terrorism and resolutely maintaining long-term stability and security.  

Ma Xingrui, secretary of the Xinjiang regional committee of the CPC, fully affirmed the exercise's results. He emphasized the need to recognize Xinjiang's critical role in safeguarding national security, always prioritizing social stability while better balancing development and security, as well as openness and security, to build a strategic barrier for national geopolitical security, according to Xinjiang Daily.

Ma stressed maintaining relentless pressure on the "three forces" through lawful and stringent measures, continuously improving counterterrorism and stability maintenance mechanisms under the rule of law, and enhancing capabilities in early warning, preemptive judgment, and rapid response. Additionally, he called for vigilance against imported terrorist threats, strengthened port management, and reinforced border controls to safeguard frontier security, Xinjiang Daily reported.