Chinese authorities have increased their campaign against religious practices, especially the Muslim holiday, Ramadan. Ramadan is practiced by ethnic Turkic and Muslim minorities in the northwestern region of China. 

Last month, restaurants were ordered to remain open during the day even if their customers were fasting for Ramadan. They faced large fines if they closed. At a teacher's college in northwest China, students were escorted to lunch by their professors, though they would usually find the cafeteria themselves. This would ensure that they were eating rather than fasting. At the end of Ramadan, when their three day feast would have begun, the cafeteria and all the restaurants on campus were closed. Students were not allowed to leave the campus.