China Install 40,000 CCTV Cameras In Xinjiang

Chinese authorities have installed thousands of CCTV surveillance cameras in the country's Xinjiang province.

Xinjiang has been beset by ethnic violence between the majority Han and minority Uighur communities over the past year, with major riots taking place in the provincial capital city of Urumqi in early July last year. Authorities have now installed more than 40,000 cameras across the region.

The announcement comes nearly a year after the unrest erupted in Urumqi, when it was reported that 197 people died and 1,700 people were injured in clashes that saw military troops intervene to quell the violence. Extra police have also been drafted in to bolster security in the city ahead of next Monday's anniversary of the riots.

CCTV Cameras In Xinjiang

The authorities have installed the ‘Eagle Eye' cameras with "riot-proof" protective shells on 3,400 buses, 200 bus stops, over 4,000 streets, 270 schools, 100 shopping malls and supermarkets. Over 8,400 cameras are located in Urumqi alone. According to local media, the cameras have been installed to "ensure security in key public places, allow people of all ethnicities to enjoy quality public services, and create a peaceful capital."

The cameras are part of efforts to maintain order in the region. Since last year's violence security has been tightened. Over 5,000 police officers have been recruited, with training exercises being carried out to cope with emergencies. Last week, China's Public Security Ministry announced it had broken up a gang of "hardcore terrorists" who had planned attacks in Xinjiang last year. There have also been campaigns to search for explosives and guns.