China's military is drawing up rules of engagement for anti-terrorist combat missions amid growing threats from within and outside the nation, state press reported Friday.
It would mark the first time the People's Liberation Army had separate regulations governing anti-terrorism operations, the China Daily said.
"The army is drafting an Ordinance for Anti-terrorism Combat Operations based on its experience in anti-terror missions over the past few years," the paper quoted Major General Meng Guoping as saying.
Meng stressed the importance of military strikes in curbing terrorism especially as global and domestic terrorist activities were increasing.
"Extremists, separatists and terrorists have been collaborating to target China and are turning more violent, almost to the point of forming an anti-Chinese government rebellion," the paper quoted Song Xiaojun, a Beijing-based military expert as saying.
Extremists, separatists and terrorists were behind this month's unrest in Urumqi, the capital of China's western-most region of Xinjiang, which resulted in nearly 200 deaths and up to 1,700 injuries, the paper said.
The announcement of the new rules comes after China and Russia concluded joint anti-terror exercises in northeast China this week, it said.
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