BEIJING -- Islam is practiced and carried on in a sound and orderly manner in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, said a white paper issued Wednesday.

Islamic clerics in Xinjiang are trained at China Islamic Institute, Xinjiang Islamic Institute and Xinjiang Islamic School, said the white paper titled "Respecting and Protecting the Rights of All Ethnic Groups in Xinjiang."

To date, China Islamic Institute, and Xinjiang Islamic Institute and its branches have trained more than 4,000 students, said the document issued by the State Council Information Office.