From April 27 to 30, President Xi Jinping visited villages, troops, local police stations, and mosques in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Maintaining social stability and prolonged peace is the general objective for work in Xinjiang at present, Xi said during his visit, which focused on Kashgar and southern Xinjiang, an area that has suffered from attacks by terrorists and extremists.

Xi also inspected the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Founded in 1954, the semi-military governmental organization shoulders the dual task of production and security. It has transformed the vast bare wasteland into a green oasis and built some modern towns in the region.

Xi said more efforts are needed to build the corps into a stabilizer for the country's border areas, a melting pot that integrates various ethnic groups, so it can establish a model region showcasing advanced productivity and culture.

This inspection tour was a long-deliberated and important part of the country's policies toward the terrorism-torn region. Fighting terrorism with an iron hand, implementing development that benefits ordinary people, and strengthening the military presence in the region are the priorities of the government's Xinjiang policy, says a Xinhua commentary.

Xi's tour to Kashgar and southern Xinjiang also showed that the central authorities have faced up to poverty, unemployment and inequality, which are the underlying economic causes of terrorism, separatism and religious extremism.

Xi emphasized that development is the key to addressing the issues in Xinjiang. He said development should benefit the people, the local area and ethnic unity. Promoting employment for people from different ethnic groups, of which there are many in the region, is vital to ensure the livelihoods of all residents and thus stability.

Xinjiang has long been known for its resources, such as oil, coal and natural gas. However, the exploitation of the resources has yet to widely enrich the local area and its people.

The policy for Xinjiang is likely to focus on labor-intensive industries and the industrialization of agriculture, as well as traditional local industries, to ensure local residents have businesses or jobs. With the means to make a living and the promise of a better future, people will better battle the wrong path of terrorism.