"Terrorists' acts in Xinjiang of China are against the human race. They wave knives at old people, women and children with extremely brutal means. It’s not a religious problem, nor is it an ethnic problem."

"Anti-terrorism is a global task, as terrorism is threatening the lives of all people in the world. Terrorists don't have the mindset of human. Chinese government will not tolerate terrorists as their violent activities target civilians. Chinese government will fight them unswervingly and show no mercy to terrorist groups in upcoming activities. I hope people would understand us.”

"Terrorist organizations, such as the East Turkistan Islamic Movement campaigning for Xinjiang's independence in neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan, have countless links with terrorists within the region. International cooperation is needed to combat terrorism."

-Zhang Chunxian, CCP Chief of Xinjiang, China

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Following attacks last week that around 20 dead in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang, Zhang Chunxian, the region's Communist Party secretary, said the Chinese government shows no mercy to those who commit acts of terrorism, according to a Mar. 7 report from the state-run China News Service.

On Feb. 28, 13 Han Chinese locals were killed in a marketplace attack by ethnic Uyghur militants in Kargilik county near Kashgar on China's western border. The victims were hacked to death with bladed weapons before police shot seven of the nine perpetrators dead, according to official reports.

Long-standing ethnic tensions have spilled over into violence in recent years with members of the region's Muslim Uyghur population dissatisfied with Beijing's policies in the nominally autonomous region.

Speaking to the media after attending the meeting of the People's National Congress in Beijing, Zhang told reporters, "They are not going to hurt our women and children any more because we will strike them all at once before they initiate another attack in order to protect our innocent."

Zhang said the unrest in Xinjiang is not a problem of religion or race but simply terrorism as the targets in the most recent and in other attacks have been almost all civilians. regarding the Feb. 28 attack, Zhang said he believes the perpetrators were supported by separatist forces. Tackling violence in Xinjiang should be considered part of the global "War on Terror," he added.

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