BEIJING — As leader of the volatile far western Xinjiang territory for 15 years, Wang Lequan is the closest China has to a regional strongman. So it’s little wonder a recent purge of lower-ranking officials over a spate of bloody unrest has done nothing to clip his authority, underscoring both the extent of his power and China’s extreme sensitivity over any changes in the leadership of this strategic, conflict-ridden territory. Angry protesters poured into the streets of the regional capital Urumqi last week, demanding the removal of Wang and other officials over deadly ethnic rioting in July and a string of unnerving needle attacks blamed by the government on Muslim separatists. Officials say five people died in the protests and 21 have been detained on suspicion of stabbing people with needles. On Saturday, the protesters won a partial victory with the firing of Urumqi’s Communist Party Secretary Li Zhi and Xinjiang’s regional police chief. Wang, 64, escaped without so much as a reprimand. Continua…