US SECRETARY of State Mike Pompeo quietly delisted the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (Etim) as a terrorist organisation yesterday.

As all eyes were on his boss President Donald Trump’s attempts to discredit the US election, Mr Pompeo’s move shores up the administration’s legacy of dramatically worsening relations with China and supporting anti-Chinese organisations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

The US had listed Etim as a terrorist organisation since 2002 – and is still listed as such by the United Nations, Britain, the EU and many other countries.