Terrorism in China

Terrorism in the People's Republic of China encompasses the employment of violence or threats thereof to instigate political or ideological shifts within the country. The Chinese government identifies terrorism as one of the "Three Evils," alongside separatism and religious extremism, viewing these as interconnected threats to national security and social stability. These forces are seen by Beijing as interconnected threats to social stability and national security. In particular, terrorism is viewed as a violent manifestation of ethnic separatism, and separatism is understood as a corollary of religious zealotry. The government has embarked on strike-hard campaigns to suppress these tendencies, particularly in the Muslim majority Xinjiang and the Buddhist Tibetan provinces.

Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the PRC strengthened its involvement in multilateral and bilateral counterterrorism efforts. As a result, several Uyghur separatist movements have been labelled as terrorist groups by the United Nations and U.S. Department of State. There have been allegations that the Chinese government has been applying charges of terrorism in an inconsistent and politically motivated manner. These represent one of the contributing factors that play into the existing tensions between the Chinese Communist party and the Uyghur minority.

On the 23rd of January 2024, the Information Office of the State Council released a white paper on "China's Counter-Terrorism Legal System and Practice," which emphasized that China is a victim of terrorism and continues to face it as a threat. Subsequently, on the 24th of January, the People's Daily published an opinion piece demanding that anti-terrorism work must be carried out under the established legal systems.