“Religious freedom” in China: an oxymoron
Commenter “TR” today observed:
China’s Government has just outlawed foreigners, aka people who aren’t from China- from doing missionary works (inside China).
That includes missionaries of: the Christian religion, the Muslim religion, and the Hindu religion, + all other religions.
The Chinese government doesn’t trust [any religion], or [any group], that is not approved by, or controlled by, the Chinese govt..
If you aren’t a Chinese citizen, + maybe even if you are one, you CAN’T talk to people about: your religious beliefs, your church, your religious group, your religion, or how people can join a religion.
If you do any of those things, China’s govt. might arrest you for, in its mind, [being a danger to China, + the Chinese govt..]
I don’t use this term often, but- these are 100%: Nazi party tactics, [Nazi police tactics], Third Reich tactics, totally oppressive tactics, and bad tactics, that are being used by China’s government.
China’s government doesn’t trust anyone that it can’t control.
In my opinion, these things are human rights, and all people should be given + guaranteed these rights, because they are [their] rights …
TR is referring to this recent news:
China has officially outlawed foreign missionaries from sharing their faith in the country without pre-state approval.
It will come into effect from 1st May, marking a further tightening of restrictions by the ruling Chinese Communist Party on those who operate outside the state-controlled churches.
Christianity is not banned in China. It is estimated that there are between 70 to 100 million believers amongst the country’s 1.4bn people. …
Authorities now require all religious groups to register with the state and limit their activities to government-approved locations, making independent evangelism nearly impossible.
Under President Xi Jinping there has been a ‘sinicization of religion’ – a term which seeks to make religious faith adhere to Chinese socialist values and culture.
To me, the issue isn’t about missionaries from foreign countries practicing in China. Any country has the right to ban or regulate foreign visitors who come into that country. The issue is actually religious freedom in general in China, which is highly restricted even if no foreigners are involved. And that issue is a subset of another issue: liberty in China, which exists barely if at all.
The “sinicization of religion” reminds me somewhat of something I learned in school – which is that the periodic conquerors of China in ancient eras found that, over time, it was they who became Chinese rather than the Chinese becoming more like them. At this point, although China is not exactly Communist (although it’s run by the Communist Party, it describes itself as socialist), it retains enormous elements of totalitarian control over its population, and that includes over religion.
If you want to learn more about China’s religious policies, see this from October of 2023. Here’s an excerpt:
Earlier this year, China issued new rules on religious activity that tighten oversight of clergy and congregations.
The rules are part of a long-standing strategy by the Chinese government to align religion with communism and ensure loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which espouses and promotes atheism.
So that’s the overview. A few details:
… [T]he government officially recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism and Daoism (also called Taoism). But authorities closely police religious activity. China has ranked among the world’s most restrictive governments every year since Pew Research Center began tracking restrictions on religion in 2007. …
China is pursuing a policy of “Sinicization” that requires religious groups to align their doctrines, customs and morality with Chinese culture. …
China’s restrictive policies toward Muslims – particularly Uyghurs in Xinjiang province – have been documented widely over the past decade. Human rights groups accuse China of subjecting Uyghurs to mass internment, surveillance and torture. …
Christians are allowed to worship in “official churches” registered with supervisory government agencies responsible for Protestantism and Catholicism. However, many Christians refuse this oversight and worship in underground churches.
Since Xi came to power in 2013, the government has banned evangelization online, tightened control over Christian activities outside of registered venues, and shut down churches that refuse to register. Authorities have also arrested prominent church leaders and some Christians reportedly have been held in internment camps. …
China treats Buddhism – particularly Han Buddhism, the most widespread branch in the country – more leniently than Christianity or Islam. …
Religious activity that falls outside of the five officially recognized religions and does not meet the government’s approval as a form of cultural heritage is often categorized by authorities as “superstition” or “evil cult.” …
Children under 18 are constitutionally prohibited from having any formal religious affiliation in China. There is also a ban on religious education, including Sunday schools, religious summer camps and other forms of youth religious groups. Schools focus on promoting non-religion and atheism, and many children join CCP-affiliated youth groups, where they must pledge commitment to atheism.
I think it’s pretty clear that the Chinese leaders want to stamp out religion and/or make it conform strictly to their party line.
[NOTE: And what of Jews? Yes, there are indeed Jews in China, and although their numbers are minuscule they have a lengthy history there. Judaism – unlike Christianity and Islam – is a non-proselytizing religion. But it nevertheless is being suppressed by the Chinese authorities:
Kaifeng’s Jewish community has reported increasing suppression by the authorities since 2015, reversing the modest revival it experienced in the 1990s. The observance of public religious services and the celebration of religious festivals like Passover and Sukkot have been prohibited, and Jewish community groups have been shut down. Signs have been removed from the Kaifeng Synagogue, a historical site located on Teaching the Torah Lane that is now under strict surveillance.
A small number of Chinese Jews have succeeded in making aliyah and immigrating to Israel with the help of private organisations such as Shavei Israel.
Antisemitism in the People’s Republic of China is mostly a 21st-century phenomenon and it is complicated by the fact that there is little ground for antisemitism in China in historical sources. In the 2020s, antisemitic conspiracy theories in China began to spread and intensify. While there is not a large Jewish diaspora in China, much of the antisemitism come from Chinese nationalists and anti-Israel leftists, as part of a reaction against supposed foreign encirclement and influence. Some Chinese people believe in antisemitic tropes that Jews secretly rule the world. Academics have also noted the spread of philosemitism, which depicts Jews as naturally intelligent and financially savvy, also gained traction in light of the Chinese economic reform.
As an instinctive *first worder*, I’ll just note here that Plato’s Dialogue Nomoi (usually translated as “Laws”) begins with the word Theos (God). It is the only surviving Platonic dialogue to do so.
From 1999-2017 I led a Baptist ministry with internationals most of whom were graduate students or visiting scholars. Most were from China.
In 2010 I was given a mini-sabbatical and spent four weeks traveling through China visiting about ninety Chinese friends whom we knew from their time in Baton Rouge.
I visited both “house churches” (not approved or regulated by the government) and Three Self churches. Interviewed Chinese Christians belonging to both. In 2010 members of house churches described harassment and interference from authorities but not arrest or imprisonment.
(I mostly saw and met with Chinese Christians. I saw Muslims and Buddhists in Shaanxi province. Did not see signs of Taoism until hiking near Qingtao.)
In 2011 the largest unregulated church in Beijing – which I visited and had a long interview with some members – was in the news. They had been kicked out of the building where they met. When they held a worship service in a public park they were arrested and put on buses.
One goal of the trip was to try and see the state of religion in China. Chinese Christians seemed to have a moderate amount of religious freedom. But something changed in 2011. The Chinese government became more openly hostile and aggressive in clamping down on any form of religion that was not somehow under their control. Twice the Chinese journalist I interviewed in Beijing came to Baton Rouge to give talks at Louisiana State. During his second visit we spent a few hours together.
Over the last decade I’ve been following with concern how China treats religion.
In Beijing I’ve seen huge grim police watchtowers in residential neighborhoods. Not being a fool, I did not attempt to photograph them, and was careful to show no interest in them. I have never seen them depicted in Western media.
China barely tolerates the Chinese religions, and does what it can to corrupt their religious and clergy as well.
“Religious freedom” in China: an oxymoron
==
Xi and his camarilla are gratuitously hostile to Taiwan. We saw what they did to Hong Kong. We can wager what they will do to Macao and try to do to Singapore. They’re infuriated by any collection of Chinese which does not function as a curated ant colony.
While vacationing in China our family attended Catholic services several times. We were careful not to get the locals in trouble through asking overly probing questions, but we learned the Chinese government tolerated the Catholic church’s presence there, to a point, but as neo wrote, their tolerance waxed and waned.
They mostly didn’t mind participation by foreigners who were temporarily living there with their families in order to offshore companies and business to China, but if Church attendance got a little too local, or proselytizing to locals got energetic they would shut services down.
Those who know the Catholic service will find this interesting: attendance would swell by about 1/3 just before Communion was distributed. Some of the local Chinese knew of the claim that the Eucharist contained miraculous powers and would pop in towards the end of Mass to receive it in hopes it would bring them luck.
Art Deco,
I don’t pay close attention, but I haven’t noticed the Chinese government getting overly involved with the Republic of Singapore. It is true that the natural prejudice of Chinese culture means Singaporeans of Chinese ancestry mostly see themselves as superior to the native, Malay. And the Malay seem to tolerate their second class status in their native land. However, the Malay feel superior to the Filipino nannies and construction workers brought in to serve the population.
Those who think the U.S. is a racist land have not traveled outside the U.S.
I saw an article in a major publication (I forget which) lauding the artistic architectural feat of converting a 100 year old Cathedral in The Netherlands to an indoor swimming pool.
Europe has to find something to do with all its empty, Christian churches. Like Hagia Sophia, most will likely become mosques.
Rufus: “Those who think the U.S. is a racist land have not traveled outside the U.S.” So true!
We don’t want some people here, so why shouldn’t China have the same right?
I really don’t like the people that go to another country, and try and convert them to the visitors religion.
Shirehome @ 10;39 pm:
I see your point. Especially regarding the “religion of peace” — Islam.
I don’t like China’s anti-freedom agenda
with their intimidation and persecution of all free thought that leads away from worshipping the government. (Though that’s no surprise, from communism.)
But I also think America is too lenient — foolishly so — in it’s enabling of Islam’s spread, here.
I missed the edit window.
On my above comment, re: American Islam & freedom here:
The growing presence in our politics — government elected positions and the judiciary — does not seem wise.
(I do, however, recognize their recent aid in fighting some “woke” agenda policies in schools. We have an overlap of reason, there. Perhaps, or likely,they have likewise aided the recent anti-woke wins in the UK.)
Judaism, according to “Why The Jews” need not be a proselytizing religion to be noticed and to teach lessons. Unfortunately, some of those lessons–hard work, education, sober living–make others feel bad and….
Had some folks from out Presbytery (large group of churches’ next-higher organizing group) go to China back in the day.. Thought it was great. But they thought the same of the USSR.
I guess it all depends.
Two-part-article on trying to explain China that I meant to post last night, from Lorenzo From Oz, discussing a Chinese sociology book by a well regarded Chinese author.
Part II is more pertinent to this thread, I believe.
Part I: https://www.lorenzofromoz.net/p/from-the-soil-i From the Soil (I): Understanding China
China as a networks and connections society. [4/15/25]
Part II: https://www.lorenzofromoz.net/p/from-the-soil-ii-understanding-china From the Soil (II): Understanding China in the World
Reflections on Sinic Korea & Vietnam, Indic Thailand, the dilemmas of Xi, the politics of activist bureaucratisation, and traditions of Chinese… [4/19/25]
A networks and connections society fits with David P Goldman’s portrayal of China as something of a Mafioso led society.
Not to worry, Rufus (@7:27 pm).
The Malaysians—in Malaysia— work hard to correct that “peculiar” attitude vis-a-vis the Chinese in that country…with interest…(the notable difference being that in Malaysia, it’s the Chinese who pretty much power the economy).
Rufus
Some years ago, our town had an exchange student from Malaya. She was Chinese and Christian. Did well. Couldn’t get into uni in Malaya. Likely they have a DEI thing going.
Came back, got into U-Mich and a BS in Chem Eng. MS in same from U-Wis. Really good job. Married an American and naturalized.
We win.
@Richard Aubrey:Couldn’t get into uni in Malaya. Likely they have a DEI thing going.
Chinese in Malaysia are restricted by regulations and quotas which lead to a lot of them leaving. Not every country is ashamed to legally favor a particular ethnicity…
So how to the Malays visualize “winning”?
@SHIREHOME
There are a bunch of claims with your formulation.
Firstly: That stance only makes sense in our world without the concept of universal imperium, which eventually gave us Westphalia and its children. To understand the problems with applying that status to China, you need to look at its behavior. Or start with the fact that It’s not really “China.”
“China” is a foreign exonym adopted for convenience by outsiders based on its fine China pottery (not so much Qin the first founder). The locals overwhelmingly call it “Zhongguo”, which more or less translates into “The Central State.” That is the Central, Controlling State of the World. China and Chinese officialdom have rarely if ever viewed themselves as just one country among many, but as the rightful hegemon of the planet. And it used to be even more ostentatious.
The Huangdi, the Son of Heaven, was not merely the mightiest or most magnificent of the sovereigns of the world, or the one most favored by the Celestial Bureaucracy and the Yellow Emperor. He was the ruler of the civilized world, in effect acting as Heaven’s Governor-General on Earth much like the Muslim Caliph is meant to be, and all other states were to be regarded as vassals or tributaries. This paradigm survived thousands of years and something like a dozen dynasties depending on how you count the legitimacy in periods of civil war and the early, pre-Zhou dynasties of questionable dominance and sometimes existence. Even outright foreign conquest did not really shatter it because usually the foreigners would adopt the mechanisms of Chinese power and governance (at least on the rivers and lowlands) and rule as Emperors.
It took confrontation with the West in the 19th century to break it, at considerable cost. And we rightfully can look back at many of the horrors that involved and brought with disgust. But it is usually less detailed that the fateful collision – the point of no return – was Lin Zexu’s decision to blockade all the British nationals in “Canton” and starve them to death, whether or not they were guilty of involvement in piracy or opium smuggling (as many doubtless were) or not. Because you see, in matters between states, the Central State and its ruler were absolute, as a father was to their children.
Even Mao and Xi were not quite so brazen as to try and frame it in such a way, but they have worked hard to reinstitute Chinese hegemony over the Far East, with blatant indifference to their own treaty signatures. If you doubt this, observe the Peoples’ Armed Police Maritime piracy in international waters and even the territorial waters of other countries, or go to your friendly local Confucius Institute serving as a center for secret police raids, detention, and torture.
This is not a matter of China asserting “rights” like “not to want some people”, but asserting the “Right” to Negate the Rights of all others.
That is different. It has consequences that no itineration of our system since the late Renaissance can hope to survive full implementation of.
Beyond that, like it or not the likes of Christianity and modern Judaism and Islam – and a host of others – were never merely “the visitors’ religion.” If one believes in them they include the grand commission to preach the truth to all the world, and it is obvious the CCP does not object to Christianity per se (as shown by their own servile “Patriotic” Churches and by financing useful idiot Christian groups abroad) but to their inability to control it.
You don’t have to like it. That is your right. But you need to be aware that the implications of the inability to exercise that thing you don’t like will greatly affect your own rights.
The mafia element, when the ruling circles in china wanted to look past mao they took examples from the kmt and the green gang, a series of novels of a magical realist type by pf kuang which takes a look at the brutal realities of the japanese occupation and the precursors of the opium war, called the poppy war
Theres another series set in prewar era by chloe gong
Which has romeo and juliet themes with the
Turtler:
That’s fascinating.
One small point, however. You write:
Christianity and Islam, yes. Judaism, no. Judaism is not a proselytizing religion nor does it even encourage converts although it accepts them. See this.
@Neo
Fair enough Neo, though I would counter that there are a few proselytizing Jewish sects (even if they tend to be in the minority), and merely accepting conversions is a remarkable step that seems less remarkable to us because of how drastically the world has changed from what used to be the norm. It’s not as evangelical as say many forms of Buddhism and to a lesser extent Hinduism, but still worth noting.
And of course our friends in the CCP wish to exert control over or destroy it all.
The People’s Republic of China is no longer a communist country, although they still spout some commie rhetoric. No, rather than being international socialists, they have transformed into national socialists.
This is the first reference
https://paperbacksandfrybread.com/products/the-poppy-war-r-f-kuang-historical-military-fantasy (one might call it grim dark or game of thrones tone)
The other series
https://thechloegong.com/flf/
One can look like michael pillsbury as seeing communism as the long term project to recover what they lost in the opium war and the capitulations