Commentary: Violent crimes cannot be tolerated in any law-ruled country

BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) -- China's prompt actions to restore social stability following a riot in Urumqi have earned support from all ethnic groups.

It has been proven that the riot was a serious violent crime carefully masterminded and organized by the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism overseas. It is a government's responsibility to firmly stop all kinds of criminal activities in efforts to protect people's interests.

No law-ruled country can tolerate violent crimes. If we look at today's world, we will find that it is a normal and inevitable thing to decisively stop any serious violent crime soon after it happens.

In Russia, the government struck hard against the Chechen separatists who had been rampant in the 1990s and committed the shocking Beslan school massacre in 2004 that claimed over 300 lives. The Russian government took resolute actions to protect territorial integrity and social order.

In Spain, the government adopted an uncompromising attitude and persisted in cracking down on the ETA, a Basque separatist group that was engaged in violent separatist activities.

In the United States of the 1990s, massive riots broke out in Los Angeles and other Californian cities due to racial conflicts. The Californian and federal governments mobilized tens of thousands of troops to restore social order. Several thousand rioters were arrested.

In 2005, a series of riots spread to various parts of France for more than 10 days. The French government declared a state of emergency for nearly two months. More than 2,000 people were arraigned, among whom more than 1,700 were detained and more than 400 prosecuted. Many agitators who fanned the riots through the Internet were punished.

These facts show that when social order is being undermined and people's lives and property are being threatened, no government can sit idly by and do nothing.

Clayton Dube, associate director of the U.S.-China Institute at the University of Southern California, said "China is not the only nation where ethnic divisions exist and sometimes explode into violence."

"It is absolutely necessary" for the Chinese government to "shoulder the burden of ending violent clashes in a just way" in Xinjiang, he said.

The famous Dutch philosopher Benedictus Spinoza once argued that the nation is a society, which is based on the law, and that peace and safety are aims of the nation.

China is a socialist country under the rule of law, where all are equal before the law. Those who commit violent crimes such as beatings, looting and arson will for sure receive severe punishment in accordance with law.

The zero tolerance to violent crimes serves the need for social stability and the protection of people's lives, property and fundamental interests.