URUMQI - Police shot dead one assialant and captured another on Thursday in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, local authorities said in a statement.

The attack occurred at about 1:20 pm in the city of Aksu when police checked a suspect vehicle based on a tipoff from residents, said the statement.

Xi promotes stability and ethnic harmony in Xinjiang

During the check-up, the suspects made a surprise knife attack on police officers and hurled burning devices at police patrol cars, it said. One auxiliary police officer was seriously injured.

The police fought back and shot dead one suspect and captured another.