China will continue to severely punish those involved in separatist and terrorist activities this year, the Supreme People's Court said in its annual work report.

The top court said 1,419 people were sentenced for jeopardizing State security and taking part in terrorist attacks last year.

Courts nationwide heard 1,084 cases related to inciting secession, organizing terrorist attacks or spreading terrorism-related audio and visual materials, Zhou Qiang, president of the SPC said when delivering the work report to the National People's Congress on Sunday.

"Courts in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have handled an increasing number of terrorism-related cases since launching a special campaign on May 23, 2014, the day after a terrorist attack at a market in the regional capital Urumqi that left 31 dead," said Mutalif Wubuli, president of the Xinjiang High People's Court.

Last year, courts in the region dealt with a large number of cases involving terrorist attacks or assisting Xinjiang people to illegally cross border, he added.

In January, the Xinjiang government decided to intensify its counterterrorism campaign as the region, which is on the front line of China's fight against terrorism, is facing greater threats from home and aboard.

Liu Yuejin, the counterterrorism commissioner, described China's current situation as "stable and under control" in February, but he stressed that terrorism is permeating further in the country under the influence of international terrorists' activities.

By Cui Jia and Cao Yin (China Daily)