New Xinjiang regulation aims to prevent extremism

Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has introduced China’s first local regulation, which will come into effect on Saturday, to contain and eradicate extremism.

The regulation clarifies major acts of extremism, proposes detailed measures to prevent, contain and purge them, and identifies responsibilities of government departments and the public.

According to the regulation, 15 actions are categorized as extremism, including interfering with others’ religious freedom, forcing others to participate in religious activities, driving believers of different religions away from their homes, expanding the concept of “halal” to areas other than food, wearing or forcing others to wear burqa-like robes, marriage or divorce through religious means rather than legal processes, and depriving children of the right to national education.

The introduction of the regulation draws a clear line between legal religion and illegal religion, which provides legal support for protecting the former and purging the latter, said Chen Tong, president of the law school under Xinjiang Normal University.