URUMQI: President Hu Jintao made his first trip to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region since last month's deadly riot, where he urged government officials and security forces yesterday to focus on maintaining stability in the region and warned separatists that they are "doomed to fail".

Hu told leading officials of the region to make upholding social stability the most urgent task, stressing that stability is the prerequisite and guarantee for the region's development.

Expressing gratitude to the armed forces, militia and police for their role in ending the July 5 riot in Urumqi, Hu said: "The key to our work in Xinjiang is to properly handle development and stability."