Zhang Chunxian, Party chief of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, asked reporters if his answers to their questions were "quite something" during the open session with the Xinjiang delegation during the annual National People's Congress meeting on Tuesday.

They were indeed "quite something". He talked about how the region suffered from religious extremism that had penetrated from abroad, including from the Islamic State group. And he admitted it was a tough job to keep people away from the influence of belief systems that have driven many to carry out violent terrorist attacks in the region and elsewhere in China.

Almost all of the challenges the region is facing were put on the table during the session, including those that used to be treated as unmentionable and sensitive issues. "I cannot believe Zhang mentioned IS," a reporter next to me almost screamed after Zhang admitted the influence from the extremist group.