The report calls on other countries to recognise the nature of the Xinjiang groups and assist China in combating them.

Up to now the East Turkistan Islamic Movement has not been high on the list of world terrorist organisations. That is a situation China wants to change.

Following the 11 September attacks on the US, China is demanding sympathy for its own fight against separatists in the far west region of Xinjiang.

In a 10-page report, China's state council outlines a list of bombings and political murders for which it says Xinjiang-based groups are responsible.

Bin Laden 'link'

More importantly the report makes a direct link between the Xinjiang separatists and Bin Laden. It says leaders of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement met Bin Laden in Afghanistan early last year.

Xinjiang is one of China's remotest provinces

During the meeting, the report says, Bin Laden promised what it calls a fabulous sum of money for training and for terrorist operations inside China.

The indigenous people of Xinjiang are Turkic speaking Muslims, many of whom have little affection for rule from Beijing.

A number of different groups have been fighting a sporadic campaign against Chinese rule in Xinjiang for more than a decade.

China's campaign to suppress the separatists has, in the past, been heavily criticised by human rights groups who accuse Beijing of widespread human rights abuses.

By tying the Xinjiang groups to Bin Laden, China clearly hopes to gain sympathy and understanding that its often brutal campaign against the separatists is fully justified.