URUMQI, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- The People's Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Wednesday expressed strong condemnation of and firm opposition to the passage of a Xinjiang-related bill by the U.S. House of Representatives.

  The approval of the "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019" was a wanton smear of the human rights situation in Xinjiang and flagrant interference in China's internal affairs, the regional government said in a statement.

  From 1990 to the end of 2016, separatists, religious extremists and terrorists carried out several thousand acts of terrorism in Xinjiang. Many innocent people were killed and the property losses incurred were enormous, the statement said.

  Faced with this severe and complex problem, Xinjiang has upheld the principle of cracking down on serious terrorist crimes while addressing the root causes in its fight against terrorism and extremism, it added.

  To eradicate terrorism and extremism at the root, Xinjiang established vocational education and training centers for people influenced by religious extremism or those who have committed minor crimes. The centers deliver a curriculum that includes standard spoken and written Chinese, understanding of the law, and vocational skills.

  "The education and training courses are an effective measure to prevent terrorism and extremism," said the statement, adding that such efforts are by no means so-called "ethnic suppression" or "illegal detention," and the centers are far from being so-called "concentration camps."

  The statement also noted that the vocational education and training work has yielded positive results, citing considerable growth in the regional economy, income among residents, and tourism revenue.

  "No terrorist incidents have occurred in Xinjiang for three years, the spread of extremism has been effectively curbed, and the social order has been greatly improved," it said.

  The regional government also urged some U.S. government officials to abandon their Cold War mentality and respect the facts.

  "Do not tarnish the image of Xinjiang in order to attain your ulterior objectives, and do not go further down the path of hegemony," the statement warned.