Tourists watch dancing performance at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, November 7, 2019. Photo: Xinhua

A total of 109 Xinjiang police officers have completed an intensive training program for instructing real scenario-oriented training activities including counter-terrorism exercises and are qualified to coach police officers in these activities in three years in the region.

The Public Security Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region selected the 109 officers from local police departments for the one-month course, the official media outlet of China's Ministry of Public Security cpd.com.cn reported on Sunday. 

The trainees took real scenario-oriented training lectures, and studied cases of previous anti-terrorism operations and team psychology. They also studied the use of batons and multiple models of guns, and other tactics. 

The trainees have gained certificates and returned to their posts to train more local police officers in real scenario-oriented tactics in the next three years, the report said.

The counter-terrorism situation in Xinjiang has been stable in recent years, but maintaining the momentum requires continuous efforts, said analysts. 

Li Wei, a counter-terrorism expert at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing, told the Global Times that the move was apparently launched for counter-terrorism purposes and will become standard in the region.

Training police instructors to coach more police officers about real scenario-oriented practices is part of a training plan that Xinjiang has adopted to implement the central government's instructions on fighting terrorism and safeguarding stability in the region, Li noted.  

According to a white paper released by the Information Office of the State Council in August 2019, no terrorism-related incidents have taken place in Xinjiang for nearly three years.

China's state broadcaster CGTN broadcast in December 2019 an English-language documentary showing the evidence of previous terrorist attacks that occurred in Xinjiang and demonstrated in detail that the source of the attacks was the East Turkistan Islamic Movement terrorist group and its interactions with other international terrorist groups.
Newspaper headline: Over 100 Xinjiang police instructors pass anti-terrorism program