China says ISIS spreading into Xinjiang

A Chinese official has revealed an "inside story", which indicates the Islamic State (ISIS)'s influence has spread to China's disturbed Xinjiang province bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"I can give you an inside story. Recently, we have busted a terrorist cell in Xinjiang run by those who have returned from fighting with the organization (ISIS)," the province's Communist Party Secretary Zhang Chunxian said on the sidelines of China's annual parliament session.

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"We broke up a few cases involving those who had returned directly after fighting in war."

This is the first time a senior Xinjiang official has confirmed Chinese nationals have returned after joining the ISIS.

Chinese police recently nabbed some Uighurs trying to leave an airport using fake Turkish passports, and others trying to illegally crossover to Myanmar.

China has witnessed repeated instances of violence, including attacks on policemen, knifing sprees and bombing, which it blames on Uighurs.