A retired Xinjiang official from the Muslim Uyghur minority group is being honored by the Chinese Communist Party for his fight against terrorists and extremists in the northwestern autonomous region.

The 68-year-old former party official in Ili prefecture, northwestern Xinjiang, was among 29 people on the CCP’s honor list who are set to receive a medal as part of events to mark the party’s 100th anniversary this July 1, mainland Chinese media reported.

The Uyghur official, whose name was given as Maimaitijiang Wumaier, was commended for his “determined fight against religious extremists, separatists and terrorists”, and for his leadership of a village that did not see any terrorist attacks during his 30-year career, the reports said.

The official also built Putonghua-language schools to help merge minority groups into the mainstream Han Chinese culture, the reports said.

The July 1 honors are awarded to outstanding party members who stand out for their work as models and pioneers.

The former Ili official was the only Uyghur on the honor list, which includes recipients from other minority groups across China including Mongols, Tibetans, Kazakhs and Manchurians, the media reports said.

Mainland authorities said a public consultation was being held about the list, and anyone could raise objections to the candidates by mail, telephone or email.

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