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Anti-terror drive to be stepped up
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Category：Current Affairs
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Subject：People and society
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Source：China Daily
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Publish Date：06-23-2016
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China and Uzbekistan agreed on Wednesday to deepen their fight against terrorism amid rising concerns over extremists in Central and Western Asia.
The joint decision was reached during President Xi Jinping's state visit to Uzbekistan.
The two countries have reached consensus on jointly combating the "three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism", combating cross-border organized crime, and jointly maintaining regional peace and stability, Xi said after talks with Uzbek President Islam Karimov.
Xi also said the two nations pledged to deepen energy cooperation and ensure the safety of the China-Central Asia gasoline pipelines — which are vital for China's energy security.
Xi began his state visit to Uzbekistan — his second since 2013 — on Tuesday. He will also attend the 16th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State on Thursday and Friday in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital.
China and Uzbekistan share concerns about terrorism, with extremists in the two countries sometimes conspiring together. Uzbekistan is also a key point for terrorists wanting to penetrate China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
Karimov said at a news briefing that Uzbekistan firmly supports China's fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
Describing China as "a great neighbor" with huge advantages in its economy, innovation and talent, he called for ties with Beijing to be enhanced.
Ahead of Xi's visit, China's Ministry of Public Security signed two agreements with Uzbekistan's Ministry of Internal Affairs on jointly fighting drug-trafficking and organized crime, and protecting the safety of cross-border pipelines.
Huang Ming, vice-minister of public security, said last week that global terrorist activities are increasing and terrorist attacks remain frequent, which makes cooperation between China and Uzbekistan on combating terrorism "a must".
The two countries should strengthen information exchanges, improve law-enforcement cooperation, and jointly fight terrorism, extremism and separatism, he said.
In recent years, the six-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization has signed and implemented a number of agreements, including the Shanghai Convention on combating terrorism, separatism and extremism.
It has also held regular joint counterterrorism drills, with Uzbekistan hosting the SCO's anti-terrorism headquarters.
Tim Collard, a former official at the British embassy in China, wrote in a column on China.org.cn, "In the political sphere, Uzbekistan has become one of China's most reliable supporters on global security issues, quite apart from the two nations' cooperation in the SCO forum."
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