An initial investigation shows that the suspects are all terrorists who were planning violent attacks.

Casting blame on China's alleged "ethnic divide" has almost become a knee-jerk reaction for some Western politicians, partly because such rhetoric caters to a small portion of the critical domestic audience and it serves political purposes.

Back in March 2008, when rioters took to the streets in Lhasa and started killing innocent people, they were universally condemned for their brutality. But a few foreign political dignitaries chose to blame the Chinese government, and some foreign media used modified press photos and ran biased stories.

With terrorism posing a global threat, Western politicians and media should realize that objective remarks and reporting will be more helpful than pointing fingers and launching accusations when terrorists take up their arms.

Only cooperation between the US and China in fighting terrorism in Xinjiang, which borders Central Asian countries, will yield win-win results for both countries and the world as a whole.