Beijing ( CNN ) Legislators in China 's far-western Xinjiang province have passed a law to prohibit residents from wearing burqas in public , state media reported , in a continued campaign against what authorities view as religious extremism . The new ban in Urumqi was approved by local legislators last month , and given the greenlight by the regional legislature at the weekend . The ordinance name suggests it targets outer garments covering someone 's full body including the face , which is called a burqa in some Islamic traditions . A spate of recent violent incidents has rocked Xinjiang , a resource-rich region long inhabited by the Turkic-speaking , largely Muslim Uyghurs . The arrival of waves of Han Chinese , the country 's predominant ethnic group , over the past decades has fueled ethnic tensions . Chinese officials have blamed the recent attacks on Uyghur separatists -- whom they also label `` religious extremists '' -- seeking to establish an independent state . Last August , another city in Xinjiang banned people wearing Islamic-style clothing and large beards from riding public buses during a provincial sporting event , according to state media . News reports at the time said Karamay city authorities targeted veils , large beards , as well as three types of Islamic dresses -- including those with the star and crescent symbol . Dozens of bus stations in the city were said to be manned by security personnel to conduct checks and report violators to the police . While the measures in Karamay did n't openly single out Uyghurs , exiled Uyghur rights groups have condemned them , calling the ban a `` green light '' for racism and discrimination . Those restrictions came shortly after after authorities in Xinjiang banned students and civil servants from fasting during Ramadan , the Muslim holy month . Amnesty International has said Uyghurs face widespread discrimination in employment , housing and educational opportunities , as well as curtailed religious freedom and political marginalization . Other critics , including exiled Uyghur activists , have attributed the rise of violence in Xinjiang to Beijing 's increasingly repressive rule there -- a claim the government vehemently denies . European rights court rules in favor of French burqa ban .
Xinjiang province passes law to ban wearing burqa in public . A spate of violent incidents has rocked Xinjiang , long inhabited by the largely Muslim Uyghurs . Score: 6