Xinjiang has made progress in curbing religious extremism with a series of new measures since the second central work conference on Xinjiang in May 2014, a political advisor from the northwest China's region has said.

The religious extremism has weakened remarkably in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nurlan Abdumankin, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said Saturday.

Ethnic unity and religious harmony have been significantly promoted in the region, he said at the ongoing annual session of the national political advisory body.

The central government should further strengthen coordination between Xinjiang and inland provinces in cracking down on extremism and illegal religious activities, suggested Nurlan Abdumankin, also chairman of the Xinjiang regional political advisory body.

He called for cooperation in curbing extremism between China and neighboring countries through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which was founded in 2001 and now has six member states: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

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