A senior Chinese official says the security situation in Xinjiang will be heightened this year, sparking further concern of unrest ahead of sensitive anniversaries.
Xinjiang in China’s remote northwest, is home to more than eight million Uighurs – Muslims who say they’ve endured decades of political and religious repression.
China has accused Uighur separatists of inciting unrest in the region, particularly in the run-up to and during, the Olympics last year when a wave of violence hit the area.
Next week also marks 50 years since a failed uprising in Tibet and June the 4th is the 20th anniversary of a brutal government crackdown on Tiananmen pro-democracy protestors.
