The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region will continue to eliminate the threats of terrorism and extremism, no matter how the situation in neighboring Afghanistan develops. It also hopes that Taliban forces can effectively crack down on terrorist forces, including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, that are responsible for a series of terrorist attacks in the region, spokesmen for the region said on Monday.

The East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which aims to separate Xinjiang from China, once gathered in Afghanistan, which shares a border with Xinjiang, and it has posed a direct threat to the region's stability and security, Ilijan Anayt, a spokesman for the regional government, said at a news conference in Beijing.

Terrorist forces, including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, have been spreading terrorist thoughts in the name of religion. Those forces have plotted and carried out a series of terrorist attacks in Xinjiang. Xinjiang has been striking hard at those terrorist forces to resolutely protect people's lives, Ilijan said.

"We also hope Taliban forces in Afghanistan can draw the line with terrorist forces including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and effectively crack down on them. By doing so, Taliban forces will play an active role in eliminating the obstacles to regional security and development cooperation," he added.

In recent years, Xinjiang has adopted a series of measures to eliminate the threats of terrorism and extremism. The region will continue to implement those measures, which have proved to be effective, regardless of the situation in Afghanistan, Xu Guixiang, another spokesman for the regional government, said at the news conference.

"No matter how external factors change, we will let the wind and waves rise and sit tight on the boat," said Xu, when asked if the situation in Afghanistan might affect Xinjiang.

The United States launched the war in Afghanistan in the name of counterterrorism; it was never about helping Afghanistan or the Afghan people, Xu said.

"The US has brought unrest and poverty to Afghanistan. It has also chosen to ignore the fact that the social situation in Xinjiang has been stable and to attack the human rights situation in the region. It's really hypocritical," he added.