BEIJING -- “To uproot terrorism, we must remove its breeding ground,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on March 8.

“To deny any haven to the specter of terrorism, we have to promote social and economic development, appropriately handle regional conflicts and advocate equal-footed dialogues between different civilizations, religions and ethnic groups,” Wang said at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature.

He said China has always been an active participant in international cooperation to fight terrorism which he called a “common scourge to mankind”.

China has also suffered from terrorism. The East Turkestan Islamic Movement is a clear and present threat to China’s security, he said.

China is ready to join hands with other countries in the spirit of mutual respect and equal cooperation to address new threats and challenges brought by terrorism, he said.