URUMQI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Internet services were fully resumed in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Friday, 10 months after a riot in Urumqi on July 5, the regional government said.

The news came as a great relief for the region's 7 million Internet users, some of whom stayed up late in order to surf the net and send messages via QQ and MSN to their friends.

In a document released by its press office, Xinjiang's regional government said Internet services were "fully resumed," meaning netizens in Xinjiang were able to browse the web, chat online and put up postings again.

Resumption of Internet services was in line with maintaining stability and boosting social and economic development in Xinjiang, as well as the residents having access to information, the document said.

In an open letter to the public, the Xinjiang regional committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) welcomed netizens to offer constructive suggestion to the region's development. "Xinjiang relies on the web for further opening."

Tianshan.com, a news website based in Urumqi, reminded netizens to help maintain a "sound and harmonious" online environment in a commentary. "Life is normal again and we're confident of maintaining stability. We'll exploit to the maximum all information resources to bolster Xinjiang's development."

It said Internet users should refrain from posting content that is harmful to stability and national unity.

People in Xinjiang took the Internet service resumption as a sign of the government's confidence and increased social stability in the region.

"It's nearly a year since I chatted with my friends online," said resident Zhou Bing. "Now at last, things are normal again."

The regional government has expressed appreciation for the netizens' understanding and support when Internet connection, international long-distance calls and mobile phone text messages were cut in some areas of Xinjiang after the July 5 riot.

Disruption of communication was aimed at cracking down on the riot quickly and prevent violence from happening again, as the riot was believed to have been orchestrated by separatists via the Internet, text message and long-distance telephone calls.

The riot left 197 people dead and more than 1,700 injured.

The regional government said in March that 198 people had been sentenced in connection with the riot.

Resumption of Internet services in Xinjiang has been a gradual process. Access to two leading news websites, xinhuanet.com and people.com.cn, was restored in December, followed by access to another two portal websites, sina.com.cn and sohu.com, on Jan. 10.

Email services were resumed in March. International long-distance calls and mobile texting services have also been resumed gradually.

The central government is rallying nationwide efforts to bolster the development of China's ethnic regions including Xinjiang and Tibet.

Premier Wen Jiabao said in early March that the government would focus on the economic and social development in Xinjiang, Tibet and Tibetan ethnic areas in provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai.

The central government is also preparing for a conference on Xinjiang in the first half of this year to boost economic development and long-term stability in the region.