Prefecture in China's Xinjiang to track cars by satellite

A prefecture in China's far western Xinjiang region is requiring all vehicles to install a real-time GPS-like tracking system as part of an anti-terror initiative.

Traffic police in Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture announced the regulation on Sunday, shortly after thousands of heavily armed police paraded in the Xinjiang capital and Communist Party officials vowed to ramp up their campaign against separatists and Islamic militants.

The vehicle-tracking program in Bayingolin will utilize China's homegrown Beidou satellite system, launched in recent years to reduce China's reliance on U.S.-based GPS providers for sensitive applications. Authorities said they will also track cars using RFID technology embedded in license plates.

Xinjiang officials have sharply increased surveillance, street searches and police patrols in recent years amid attacks blamed on militants from the native Uighur minority.

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