China's domestic security chief has visited Iran to push for greater cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, as Beijing seeks allies in its efforts to maintain stability in its far-west Xinjiang region.
Beijing says it faces a threat from Islamic militants in Xinjiang, where hundreds have died in unrest in the past two years or so, and has repeatedly pushed for greater regional efforts to tackle the problem.
Meng Jianzhu, who leads China's anti-terrorism efforts, met with several senior officials while in Tehran, including Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazl on his Nov. 15-17 trip, the ministry said.