BEIJING – Enhancing border facilities and control in the Xinjiang Uygurautonomous region was vital in maintaining social stability and long-termpeace, China’s defense chief said.

State Councilor and Defense Minster Chang Wanquan ordered local authoritiesto be stricter in border controls and step up exit and entry administration.

In addition, they were told to adopt preventative measures and create astronger deterrent to ensure border security, according to a news releasefrom the ministry.

Chang made the remarks after a recent inspection of Xinjiang’s front-lineborder posts, checkpoints and ports of entry.

He was briefed about border control procedures, infrastructure constructionand how the People’s Liberation Army, police and local people work togetherto make border areas safe, the release said.

He said people, “Infrastructure and technology need to be combined moreeffectively to improve the quality of border control and form an “iron wallof defense”.

People should fully recognize the nation’s complex and grim securitysituation so they can better realize the urgency, responsibility and thesense of mission in border defenses, Chang said.

The penetration of religious extremism has led to a number of terroristattacks in the region in recent years. The region will further rely ontechnology to enhance front-line border control and improve infrastructurein border areas, such as improving road conditions, Shohrat Zakir, chairmanof the autonomous region, said .

Religious extremism from abroad was believed to be a reason behind violentattacks in Xinjiang and other parts of the country in recent years.Xinjiang has a 5,700-kilometer border with eight countries, Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Russia and India.

Many terrorists who carried out attacks in the region in recent yearsreceived training abroad and then entered illegally, the regional policeauthority said. Some fled back across the border afterward, the regionalpolice said.