URUMQI, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official has called for earnest implementation of ethnic policies in the northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, saying sinicization on religion must be upheld to promote ethnic solidarity and religious harmony.

You Quan, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a visit to the region between Thursday and Saturday.

In Urumqi and Hotan, You visited mosques and scripture schools and talked with government officials, Party cadres and people from religious circles. The Party's leadership over religious work must be upheld, he noted, adding that the infiltration of religious extremism must be guarded against.

You also expressed his hope that people in religious circles can inherit and carry forward the fine traditions to love the motherland and their faith, lead religious believers to follow the right faith and abide the law and contribute to the healthy development of Islam.