FCO UPDATE ADVISE ON TRAVEL TO NORTH WEST CHINA

Over the past year, there have been a number of violent incidents in different parts of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region (north west China), resulting in the deaths of a number of police officers, security guards, assailants and civilians. In April 2009 a bomb blast in Urumqi (north west China) killed one and injured several others. On 6 July 2009 the state media news agency (Xinhua) reports 140 deaths and more than 800 injuries after serious rioting in Urumqi on 5 July 2009. The FCO have given the following advise for British travellers: To date no British nationals have been affected but you should avoid all areas where demonstrations are taking place and be aware of heightened tensions and disruption to travel at this time. You should keep yourself informed of developments, including by regularly checking the FCO travel website.