A top Xinjiang official Wednesday denied the autonomous region is on high alert.

Hou Hanmin, a spokeswoman for the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, told the Global Times that "the situation is back to normal" and "the area implemented neither a curfew nor is it on high alert."

Several local residents contacted by the Global Times confirmed that security patrols in Korla appear to be at normal levels.

A local resident surnamed Li told the Global Times that the city is relatively safe but travelers should always carry their ID cards in case they are stopped by police.

"Police patrols are normal in the city," said Li.

There are currently more than 21 million people living in Xinjiang, of which 60 percent are of non-Han ethnicity, according to a report released by the Xinjiang statistics bureau.

Chen Qianping, a professor of history at Nanjing University, told the Global Times earlier that some overseas political forces continue to look for opportunities to ignite problems in Xinjiang.

Global Times