Once, he said, he asked a European official how their country controlled terrorism. “They said, ‘We take measures to control it as long as human rights are protected.’ I thought to myself, ‘Then how can you control it?’”

There’s no call to prayer anymore, he added, because everyone has watches. He said young Uighurs who grew beards were challenging local authorities in a similar way to anti-government protesters wearing yellow vests in France.

Another mosque in Hotan displayed copies of Xi’s book, “The Governance of China,” at the same level as the Koran. Hotels we stayed in featured brochures with Xi’s face along with his book.

“In our country there is no way to put religion above the law,” said Gu Yingsu, head of the propaganda department in Hotan.