BEIJING - Anti-secession and anti-terrorism efforts should be a priority in Xinjiang to ensure enduring peace and stability, said Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party of China (CPC) chief of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Chen called for strengthening border control to safeguard security in the region, according to an interview carried by Monday's People's Daily, flagship newspaper of the CPC.

More than 100 million domestic and foreign tourists visited Xinjiang last year, indicating the region's overall situation has been sound and stable, said Chen.

Preserving Xinjiang's social stability and sustainable peace is the general target set by the party leadership for the region, he said, adding Xinjiang's work must be guided by this general target.

Ethic unity is the lifeline to all ethnic groups, and Xinjiang is making efforts to promote solidarity through education and honoring role models, he said.

Xinjiang pursues supply-side structural reform as a major task and focuses on targeted poverty reduction, said Chen.

Last year, the average annual income of urban residents in Xinjiang reached 30,775 yuan (4,900 US dollars), up 7.8 percent. That of rural residents increased 8 percent to 11,045 yuan, according to Chen.