CHINA: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly Digest September 01-15
Buddhists
13.09.2024- China launches massive international propaganda effort on Tibet
Bitter Winter – Wang Junzheng, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Secretary of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region, announced earlier this month that a “Xizang [the Chinese name for Tibet] International Communication Center” has been established.
This is not the first “International Communication Center” created by the CCP. The policy started in 2018 and is becoming a key feature of Beijing’s international propaganda, part of which is now subcontracted to regional or provincial organizations.
05.09.2024 – China’s World Buddhist Forum aimed at boosting soft power: experts
RFA – China will host a global Buddhist conference in October that experts and rights activists outside the country say is aimed at boosting its soft power in Asia and build on its narrative that it has greater influence over Buddhist-majority nations than India, the birthplace of Buddhism.
Monks, experts, scholars and representatives from about 70 countries are expected to attend the sixth World Buddhist Forum in mid-October in the eastern city of Ningbo, Chinese state media reported.
Muslims
11.09.2024 – China, future Muslim Imams submitted to “patriotic” military training
Bitter Winter – Wang Junzheng, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Secretary of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region, announced earlier this month that a “Xizang [the Chinese name for Tibet] International Communication Center” has been established.
This is not the first “International Communication Center” created by the CCP. The policy started in 2018 and is becoming a key feature of Beijing’s international propaganda, part of which is now subcontracted to regional or provincial organizations.
Catholics
13.09.2024 – China’s Recognition of Bishop Shi Hongzhen: A diplomatic shift with broader implications
Providence – The Chinese Communist Party’s recent decision to recognize the authority of Bishop Shi Hongzhen, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Tianjin, marks a significant development in the ongoing dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese government. While some view this recognition as a positive outcome of the Vatican-China agreement aimed at easing tensions between the officially unrecognized underground church and the state-sanctioned Patriotic Catholic Association (PCA), it also raises concerns. This move could impact religious freedom in China and potentially affect the Vatican’s diplomatic relationship with Taiwan.
06.09.2024 – Catholic Priests from Fujian mobilized for “patriotic education” in Xinjiang
Bitter Winter – The law on “patriotic education,” aimed at promoting the most massive domestic propaganda effort in the 21st century, is in force in China since January 1. On January 4, the five authorized religions issued guidelines on how government-controlled religions and clergy are expected to cooperate in this gigantic enterprise.
One region where, understandably, “patriotic education” is not highly successful is Xinjiang(which its non-Han-Chinese inhabitants prefer to call “East Turkistan”). Conversely, news about the protests by Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang increasingly elude the censorship and reach other parts of China, undermining the propaganda claims that all minorities are happy to be ruled by the CCP.
Falun Gong
14.09.2024 – Reported in July and August 2024: 94 Falun Gong practitioners sentenced for their faith
Minghui – A total of 94 cases of Falun Gong practitioners being sentenced for their faith were reported in July and August 2024.
The newly reported cases included one that took place in 2020, ten in 2023, fifty-five in 2024, and twenty-eight with unknown sentencing years. Due to strict information censorship, the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners can’t always be reported on time, nor is all information readily available.
The sentenced practitioners hailed from 18 provinces and 3 centrally controlled municipalities. Shandong, Jilin, and Sichuan topped the list with 17, 14, and 11 cases, respectively. The remaining 18 regions had single digit cases between 1 and 6.
12.09.2024 – Elderly Beijing woman loses son and daughter-in-law in the persecution of Falun Gong
Minghui – A Beijing resident in her 80s was sentenced to one and a half years for practicing Falun Gong, while still mourning the death of her daughter-in-law. Ms. Zhang Wenfang was allowed to serve time outside of prison due to her mobility issues, only to be struck with another tragedy when her son died earlier this year.
Both Mr. Sun Zhigang, 61, and his wife, Ms. Wang Suxia, 58, lost their lives after suffering repeated persecution for their faith in Falun Gong. The couple and Ms. Zhang spent years living away from home to avoid being targeted for their faith. Mr. Sun and Ms. Wang’s health deteriorated as a result. Ms. Wang died on August 28, 2021 and her husband died on February 28, 2024.
02.09.2024 – China Buddhist Association works with police to deprogram Falun Gong practitioners
Bitter Winter – Deprogramming or “faith breaking,” the process through which members of minority religions are confined and submitted to heavy psychological indoctrination, with various forms of violence, is a criminal practice illegal in most democratic countries. It is, however, routinely practiced in China. So far, this happened in different facilities controlled by the state. China does not deny that this is taking place, and in fact praises and defends the practice.
A video by the China Anti-Xie-Jiao Association, which claims to be “the largest anti-cult organization in the world” and is the CCP’s main agency to fight against groups banned as “xie jiao,” or organizations spreading “unorthodox teachings,” confirms a new disturbing development that had already been reported to “Bitter Winter” by various sources.
Protestants
10.09.2024 – Golden lamp church fraud case scheduled to go to trial next month.
China Aid – It is reported that the case of 12 church leaders and members of the Jindengtang Church in Linfen, Shanxi Province, who were charged with “suspected fraud”, will be heard at the Yaodu District Court of Linfen City at 9 am on October 22, 2024. Since the church incident on August 7, 2021, dozens of church leaders, responsible persons and co-workers of the church have been suddenly detained by the Yaodu District Police of Linfen City on suspicion of “fraud”. At present, 6 people have been released on bail pending trial, and pastor Wang Xiaoguang, his wife Yang Rongli, and Li Shuangping, Dong Yongyong, Zhao Guoai, Huo Zhuangping and 6 others are still detained in the detention center. Since they were arrested, they have been detained in the detention center for more than three years, and now the trial has finally begun.
09.09.2024 – Chengdu Early Rain convenant church update : four leaders detained for illegal activities
China Aid – According to the Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church, Elder Li Yingqiang, preacher Wu Wuqing, preacher Yan Hong, and deputy deacon Zeng Qingtao were summoned by the police from the Hongpailou Police Station in Wuhou District, Chengdu during the Sunday gathering on September 1, 2024. As of noon the next day, the Hongpailou Police Station had notified their families by phone: They were all detained for 14 days by the Wuhou District Public Security Bureau for “illegally carrying out activities in the name of social groups”, from September 2 to September 16, 2024. The detention location is Chengdu Detention Center (No. 3 Zhengyi Road, Pidu District).
04.09.2024 – Second trial of five christians from Shengjia Church enters fifth day
China Aid – On August 23, 2024, the fifth day of the second trial of five Christians from Shengjia Church in Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong – Deng Yanxiang, Wang Weicai, Zhu Longjiang, Zhu Qiaoling, and Zhu Longfei – charged with “illegal business operations,” the court announced that Zhu Longjiang and Zhu Qiaoling, who are siblings, were granted bail out pending trial. As soon as the trial ended, the two Christians walked out of the courtroom and met with their family members, defense lawyers, and fellow believers. Zhu Longjiang’s defense lawyers are Guo Xiongwei and Wen Yu, while Zhu Qiaoling’s defense lawyers are Zhang Dongmei and Guo Haibo. Christians at the scene welcomed them with flowers, and everyone joyfully took photos together outside the courthouse.
O3.09.2024 – Christian gathering in Yinchuan disrupted
China Aid- It was reported that several Christians in Jinfeng District, Yinchuan City, Ningxia were disrupted by local public security while gathering. Four Christians were charged with “disturbing social order,” with two administratively detained for 7 days and the other two for 10 days. After his administrative detention expired, Ma Yan was again criminally detained by Jinfeng District Public Security Bureau on suspicion of organizing illegal gathering.
On August 9, 2024, around 4 PM, less than 10 Christians, including Ma Yan, were gathering in a hotel in Jinfeng District, Yinchuan City, when they were raided by police officers from Jinfeng District Public Security Bureau. Two Christians were administratively detained for 7 days for disturbing social order, while Ma Yan and another man were administratively detained for 10 days for the same reason.