Hu talks tough

Chinese President Hu Jintao, has vowed to crackdown on perpetrators of the riots. Chairing an urgent meeting of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), Hu told the meeting that maintaining stability in Xinjiang is the “most important task”.

China said that those involved in the riots were members of terrorists groups with links with al-Qaeda. It was seeking the cooperation of foreign governments to track down links and people involved in supporting the rioters from overseas.

Turkey’s industry minister, Nihat Ergun, urged Turks to boycott Chinese goods in protest but a spokeswoman said this was the minister’s personal opinion.