The vast desert area of Xinjiang in China's remote northwest is home to more than eight million Uighurs, Muslims who have complained for decades of political and religious repression.

China has accused Uighur separatists of fomenting unrest in the region, particularly in the run-up to and during the Olympics in August last year when a wave of violence hit the restive area.

"The (security) situation will be more severe, the task more arduous, and the struggle more fierce in the region this year," said Nur Bekri, chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

This year marks 60 years since China's People's Liberation Army entered Xinjiang and implemented what it calls a "peaceful liberation" of the region, but advocates of independence for the area view the move as an invasion.

"It's a time of celebration for Xinjiang people but hostile forces will not give up such an opportunity to destroy it," Bekri said.

The warning came amid concerns of unrest as China prepares to commemorate several sensitive anniversaries this year.

Next week marks 50 years since a failed uprising in Tibet led to the escape of the Dalai Lama, and June 4 is the 20th anniversary of a brutal government crackdown on Tiananmen pro-democracy protests.

Bekri said a couple who set themselves on fire with their son in Beijing last week were from Xinjiang, according to Xinhua.

A nurse at hospital in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang where the couple are being treated, told AFP they were Uighurs, although this could not officially be confirmed.

But there was no indication of a terrorist act, with Bekri saying the three had come to Beijing to try and get a solution to a dispute with their local government over the demolition of their home.

In January, China's defence ministry said separatist forces in Xinjiang, referred to as East Turkestan by those who are calling for the region's independence, remained a major threat to China's security.

"Taiwan independence, East Turkestan, Tibetan independence and other separatist forces form a major security threat to the unity of the nation and a challenge to our security organs," ministry spokesman Hu Changming said.

However rights groups have accused China of severe repression in the region.

The US State Department late last month criticised some of China's policies in Xinjiang in 2008 in a human rights report.

"The government tightly controlled the practice of Islam, and official repression of Uighur Muslims in the (region) increased," it said.

China arrested almost 1,300 people for terrorism, religious extremism or other state security charges in the region last year, state press reported previously.

Analysts have said the violence in August was the worst in Xinjiang for years, and was partly triggered by Uighur separatists wanting to raise publicity while the world spotlight was focused on China for the Olympics.

However Xinjiang is thousands of kilometres (miles) from Beijing, and no terrorist attacks directly threatened the Games or the Chinese capital.

earlier related report
In China, stark reminders of ethnic unrest
In a stark reminder of the ethnic unrest facing China, a top leader from Tibet said Friday more security troops were needed while Muslim-majority Xinjiang warned 2009 would be a "severe" year.

The warnings came at the start of a year brimming with sensitive anniversaries, including 50 years since a failed uprising in Tibet, and 60 years of Xinjiang's occupation by Communist China.

"Our forces are not enough," Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, told reporters on the sidelines of China's annual parliamentary session.

"We have asked for increases in the armed police, police, firemen, border forces and public security... incidents incited by the Dalai clique could happen again."

Meanwhile, a senior politician in charge of northwest China's Xinjiang region, which borders Central Asia, warned that 2009 would be more challenging than 2008, itself a violent year.

"The (security) situation will be more severe, the task more arduous, and the struggle more fierce in the region this year," said Nur Bekri, chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The comments came as China's parliament, the National People's Congress, met for its annual full session, with minority delegates arriving in flamboyant costumes, signalling harmony among the nation's ethnic groups.

"Promoting unity among all ethnic groups and achieving common development and prosperity serves the fundamental interests of the people of all our ethnic groups," Premier Wen Jiabao said in his "state-of-the-union" address opening parliament Thursday.

"We will unswervingly uphold national unity and further develop socialist ethnic relations based on equality, unity, mutual assistance and harmony."

Unrest has simmered in Tibet since anti-Chinese riots erupted a year ago, four days after the 49th anniversary of the failed uprising that led to the exile of the region's highest spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Although Qiangba said he expected exiled Tibetan forces to try to incite unrest again, he expressed confidence that the riots that took place on March 14 last year would not occur again.

"We have taken all kinds of measures," Qiangba said. "Incidents like what happened on March 14 won't happen again, we are fully confident of this."

China has ruled Tibet since 1951, a year after sending in troops to "liberate" the Buddhist region.

Qiangba further reiterated that increased security forces in Tibet would have been needed even if last year's unrest had not occurred.

"Tibet is a huge region... a lot of our townships do not even have police stations," he said. "An appropriate increase is necessary."

Xinjiang has an anniversary of its own, as six decades ago Chinese troops marched into the region, implementing what is now called a "peaceful liberation" of the region.

"It's a time of celebration for Xinjiang people but hostile forces will not give up such an opportunity to destroy it," Bekri said.

The vast desert area of Xinjiang in China's remote northwest is home to more than eight million Uighurs, Muslims who have complained for decades of political and religious repression.

China has accused Uighur separatists of fomenting unrest in the region, particularly in the run-up to and during the Olympics in August last year, when a wave of violence hit the restive area.

Bekri also said that three people who set themselves on fire in Beijing last week were from Xinjiang, according to Xinhua.

A nurse at a hospital in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, where two of the people are being treated, told AFP they were Uighurs, although this could not be confirmed officially.

But there was no indication of a terrorist act, with Bekri saying the three had come to Beijing to seek a solution to a dispute with their local government over the demolition of their home.

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