These crude grass roots type terrorist attacks on soft targets are extremely difficult to prevent, the upshot is that if they are reasonably handled by the authorities these incidents tend to backfire on the attackers on the hearts and minds front. China's overall strategy to economically develop and modernize their hinterlands is sound, and their policies on minorities appear reasonable enough compared to those on other Chinese citizens, so they should stay their course. China does need to address its nationwide problem though of helping the people left by the wayside of development.
It's always difficult to assess how effective terrorism prevention efforts are but I think Chinese efforts must be decent otherwise we would see much more professional and destructive terrorist attacks. On the same note, these terrorists probably receive little foreign support.
China would do well to beef up its community policing for preventive human intelligence purposes, as well as 'SWAT' type policing for responding to violent terrorist attacks. Global developments such as China's closer ties with Russia, a likely upcoming detente between major Islamic terrorist backers Saudi Arabia and Iran, and higher tensions between a more internationally assertive China and others mean that China will become a more attractive target to foreign terrorists and terrorism sponsors.
It's always difficult to assess how effective terrorism prevention efforts are but I think Chinese efforts must be decent otherwise we would see much more professional and destructive terrorist attacks. On the same note, these terrorists probably receive little foreign support.
China would do well to beef up its community policing for preventive human intelligence purposes, as well as 'SWAT' type policing for responding to violent terrorist attacks. Global developments such as China's closer ties with Russia, a likely upcoming detente between major Islamic terrorist backers Saudi Arabia and Iran, and higher tensions between a more internationally assertive China and others mean that China will become a more attractive target to foreign terrorists and terrorism sponsors.
