China on Wednesday responded to reports claiming that Al Qaeda would target Chinese interests overseas to avenge the killings of Muslims in the Urumqi riots recently, reported the South China Morning Post.
Hundreds die in China's worst ethnic clash
"We will keep a close eye on developments and make joint efforts with relevant countries to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of overseas Chinese institutions and people," spokesman Qin Gang was quoted by the paper.
"Chinese government opposes terrorism in any form and would like to increase our co-operation with related countries to fight terrorism," he said.
China brings peace to Urumqi but toll rises
Qin also said that he hoped that people would understand the truth of the July 5th incident, that claimed more than 180 lives.
"By understanding the truth of the event, I think people will understand and support China's ethnic and religious policies and measures we have adopted to stop the violence," Qin said in the report.
"The Uighur incident was organised both inside and outside China," Qin said, hinting towards terrorist involvement behind the worst ethnic violence which hit the country in decades.
Meanwhile, Beijing has warned its citizens in Algeria about possible attacks from terror groups in retaliation for the government crackdown in the Muslim region of Uighur, and security has been tightened around its missions in the Philippines.
On Tuesday, London-based risk analysis firm Stirling Assynt warned its clients that Al-Qaeda's Algerian-based offshoot, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, has issued the call for vengeance and is planning to attack Chinese interests overseas, a report in the South China Morning Post stated .
