China has hailed contribution by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), an economic and semi-military organization in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, stressing its "irreplaceable role" in maintaining stability and quashing terrorist activities.
"The Corps has played a unique and irreplaceable role in maintaining social stability in Xinjiang, quashing violent terrorist activities and safeguarding the people's security," said a government white paper titled the "Historical Witness to Ethnic Equality, Unity and Development in Xinjiang," which was released on Thursday.
Hundreds of thousands of XPCC staff have guarded the borderlines ranging 2,000 km within the region so to ensure the security of the nation's northwestern parts, according to the white paper.
Always upholding principles of being both soldiers and civilians, the Corps has paid equal attention to productive work and military training, it said.
Founded in October 1954, the XPCC assumes the responsibilities of reclaiming the wasteland and guarding the border areas, and operates a unique administrative system that combines the functions of the Party, government, military and enterprises. It handles its own administrative and judicial affairs within areas under its jurisdiction in accordance with the laws.
By the end of 2014, the XPCC had 14 divisions comprised of 176 regiments, and was exercising jurisdiction over an area of 70,600 square km boasting a total population of 2.7 million, accounting for 11.8 percent of Xinjiang's total.
The XPCC has also played an important driving role for the development and progress of Xinjiang and also helped to promote ethnic unity in Xinjiang, said the white paper.
