Following the July 2009 Ürümqi riots , ethnic tensions rose in Xinjiang and in Hotan in particular . As a result , the city has seen occasional bouts of violence . In June 2011 , Hotan opened its first passenger-train service to Kashgar , which was established as a special economic zone following the riots . In July of the same year , a bomb and knife attack occurred on the city 's central thoroughfare . In June 2012 , Tianjin Airlines Flight 7554 was hijacked en route from Hotan to Ürümqi
Tianjin Airlines Flight 7554
Tianjin Airlines Flight 7554
Hotan