A high-ranking official in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region stressed Friday continued vigilance against criminal activites almost three weeks after the deadly riot in the regional capital Urumqi.

"We will keep to the policy of launching 'preemptive strikes' against enemies with an iron fist to curb violent criminality," said Nur Berkri, chairman of the regional government, at a meeting of the local legislature.

The July 5 riot in Urumqi has left 197 people dead, mostly innoncent civilians, and more than 1,600 injured. By Thursday, 123 dead people had been cremated.

Currently, 539 people are still in hospital, including 13 in critical condition and 44 with severe injuries. Altogether, 331 shops and 627 vehicles were torched, and many public facilities were damaged.

Local police have arrested 1,434 suspects.

"The riot is neither an ethnic nor religious issue, let alone a human rights issue. It is a political struggle between us and hostile forces on safeguarding national unity, opposing ethnic division, maintaining socialist system, consolidating the Party's ruling status and protecting core national interests," Nur Berkri said.

He also pledged to find and arrest all other suspects "at an early date" who had escaped after committing crimes of vandalizing, looting and arson during the riot.

"They will receive punishment according to law," he said.

Urumqi has gradually returned to normal, and it passed another peaceful day on Friday that marked the third weekly Jumah Day, or Friday prayer, after the riot. All mosques in Urumqi were open to Muslims Friday.

(Xinhua News Agency July 24, 2009)