No evidence that missing plane linked to Kunming terrorist attack: official  

云南省长：无证据证明飞机失联与昆明暴恐有必然联系

Photo of Li Jiheng, governor of Yunnan province (Photo source: people.cn)

(ECNS) -- Li Jiheng, governor of Yunnan province, has said there is no evidence linking the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to the terrorist attack in Kunming on March 1, people.com observed on Monday. [Special coverage: Searching for missing MH370]

Li made the statement at a Sunday press conference, also attended by Qin Guangrong, Party chief of Yunnan province, who said that local policymakers are committed to cracking down on terrorism.

He warned the people of Yunnan to remain vigilant, saying anti-terrorism will be a focus of the government's work in maintaining stability in the region.

Measures will be taken to stop separatists from turning Yunnan into a springboard for terrorism, Qin also said.

A Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 carrying 239 people, including 227 passengers and 12 crew members, lost contact with air traffic control after leaving Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur early Saturday.

There were 153 Chinese nationals aboard. A search for the flight is still underway.

The timing of the incident, a week after knife-wielding terrorists killed at least 29 people at a train station in the southwestern city of Kunming, led to speculation that Xinjiang separatist forces could be involved.