Similarly, Ismail Yusup, a member of East Turkestan Islamic Movement, “remote-controlled” the Urumqi railway station on April 30 from outside China’s border. It had ordered at least seven partners to prepare the strike.

More details about the May 22 attack are awaited, but there is no doubt that there is a — possibly more than one — well-organized group that coordinates information among and mobilizes and funds terrorists. Terrorist groups in Xinjiang are as “mature” and deadly as any other in the world, so China needs to strengthen international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

Quite a number of Uygur terrorists are active in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and even organize training camps for misguided youths in areas bordering China. Since they could organize more attacks in Xinjiang taking advantage of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, China has to be prepared to thwart their evil designs and protect its people.

China’s efforts to rally international support will succeed because terrorism poses a threat to not only the region but also the whole world. Terrorists will not spare any country no matter how powerful it is. So, the US-led West should be clear that this enemy to China is also an enemy to the West.

Departing from their usual practice, Chinese netizens have already posted about 27,000 messages on the message board of the official micro blog of the US embassy in China, advising Washington to stop supporting separatist groups in the name of liberty and democracy. In response, the White House has called the Xinjiang attack a “violent, terrorist attack”.

It seems the US has realized something that has always been obvious. We hope the US will alter its policy on terrorist groups that target Xinjiang now that it has realized the terrorists are not fighting for ethnic self-determination or religious liberty.

The author is an associate professor at the School of International Relations, Nanjing University.