China holds firm on Xinjiang as neighbouring Afghanistan poses security concerns

China has vowed to press on with its security measures in Xinjiang – which have been criticised by the US and other countries as human rights abuses – amid concerns about the developing situation in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Xinjiang government spokesman Xu Guixiang said the security of Afghanistan, which shares a mountainous 74km (46 miles) border with the northwestern Chinese region, had always had a direct impact on the area.