CHINESE President Xi Jinping gave an honorary award to representatives of a specialist police unit operating in Xinjiang province yesterday, commending them for their fight against terrorism in the autonomous region.

The People’s Armed Police Force unit received the title “Anti-Terrorist Sharp Knife Squadron” for its outstanding performance in the largely Uighur-populated province.

Delegates of the special operations group were presented with an honorary flag at a ceremony in the capital Beijing presided over by Central Military Commission (CMC) vice-chairman Zhang Youxia.