President Xi encourages PLA, armed police on Xinjiang trip

Chinese President Xi Jinping has visited People's Liberation Army (PLA) and armed police forces in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, PLA Daily reported on Monday.

According to the newspaper, Xi visited the military area command in Xinjiang's Kashi Sunday afternoon and told the soldiers, who are of various ethnic groups, that "they should unite like a family."

Xi urged the soldiers to "care for each other, help each other, study together, maintain national unity and guard the borderland of China."

Xi also visited an armed police team in Kashi on Sunday afternoon where he acknowledged the complicated situation and the hardship the soldiers have endured. He encouraged them to keep their duty in their heart and contribute more.

Stability in Xinjiang has become increasing important not only to local people but to national security as terrorist activities saw an obvious rise over the past two years.

On March 1, a group wielding knives carried out an attack at Kunming Railway Station in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, killing 29 and injuring 143. The assailants were later identified as terrorists from Xinjiang. The attack is also seen as a turning point where terrorists began to target ordinary people instead of symbols of government such as police stations.