China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest March 01-15
General
07.03.2025 – CPPCC chief Wang Huning calls for ‘safe and orderly’ religious activities: report
scmp.com – The fourth most senior official in China’s ruling Communist Party, who oversees the country’s national political advisory body, has called for efforts to “ensure law-based management of religious affairs” to make sure that religious activities are “legal, safe and orderly”.
Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks on Thursday during group discussions with the CPPCC’s religious leaders, according to state news agency Xinhua.
“[We must] ensure law-based management of religious affairs, and guide religious leaders and believers to enhance their national and civic consciousness, and awareness of the rule of law,” he was quoted as saying.
02.03.2025 – China’s unregistered churches face new constraints as CCP authorities introduce new measures to ban illegal social organizations
China Aid – On February 13, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China issued the Measures to Ban Illegal Social Organizations (hereinafter referred to as the Measures), consisting of 23 articles, which will come into effect on May 1, 2025.
The new Measures include significant revisions compared to the previous version. The title of the regulations has been updated, and social organizations deemed illegal will be subject to banning.
Article 3 of the Measures stipulates that organizations operating without registration under the name of a social group, foundation, or private non-enterprise unit, those conducting activities beyond the approved preparatory phase during the period of their establishment, and those continuing to operate under the name of a social group, foundation, or private non-enterprise unit after being deregistered all fall under the scope of banning.
Buddhists
13.03.2025 – Dalai Lama says his successor will be born in ‘free world,’ outside China
RFA – The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama, said in a new book his successor would be born in the “free world,” which he described as outside China. However, Beijing insists the selection of his successor must follow Chinese law, asserting its authority over Tibetan Buddhism and rejecting any succession outside its control.Tibetan tradition holds that the soul of a senior Buddhist monk is reincarnated in the body of a child on his death. The current Dalai Lama, who as 2-year-old boy named Tenzin Gyatso was identified as the reincarnation of his predecessor, had previously said the line of spiritual leaders might end with him.
11.03.2025 – Pro-CCP China Buddhist Association “Infiltrated” Master Jing Yao’s Memorial ceremony in Taiwan
Bitter Winter – On January 28, 2025, Venerable Jing Yao, Chairman of the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China (BAROC), passed away in Taipei. A solemn ceremony to honor him was held with center at the Banqiao Gymnasium in New Taipei City from February 26 to 28, 2025. Venerable Zong Xing, Vice Chairman of Mainland China’s government-controlled China Buddhist Association, led a delegation of eleven to Taiwan to attend the ceremony.
Venerable Jing Yao, originally a journalist, became a Buddhist practitioner after a life-changing car accident at age 26. At 28, he was ordained by the elder monk Guanghua and given the name Jing Yao.
The Church of Almighty God
04.03.2025 – Terror through photographs: China publishes pictures of Church of Almighty God refugees abroad
Bitter Winter – Some months ago, “Bitter Winter” exposed the scandal of the Chinese website Da Ai Wang, which published lists of asylum seekers in Italy (as well as in the United States and South Korea) of The Church of Almighty God (CAG), the most persecuted Christian new religious movement in China. Da Ai Wang is a website likely connected with Chinese intelligence services and it might only have obtained the lists of these asylum seekers illegally. The story was picked up by mainline non-specialized Italian media as well.
Falun Gong
14.03.2025 – Two Heilongjiang women, 60 and 74, sentenced for practicing Falun Gong
Minghui – Two residents of Yilan County, Heilongjiang Province, were wrongfully convicted on February 11, 2025, for their shared faith in Falun Gong.
Ms. Gao Jing, 60, was sentenced to four years and fined 50,000 yuan. Ms. Fu Guiqin, 74, received two years and ten months with a 100,000-yuan fine.
The two women were both arrested on February 8, 2024, two days before the Chinese New Year. Ms. Fu’s computer, laptop, and other personal belongings were confiscated.
12.03.2025 – Having lost family members due to the persecution of Falun Gong, destitute man stands trial again for his faith
Minghui – A 60-year-old Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, resident stood trial on February 18, 2025, for his faith in Falun Gong.
Mr. Miao Jianguo, a former electrician at the Jinzhou Railroad Bureau East Section, was arrested on August 21, 2024, and detained at the Jinzhou City Detention Center. Due to police threats, his family didn’t hire a lawyer for him. Details about his hearing aren’t available yet.
Mr. Miao began to practice Falun Gong in 1995. As he remained firm in his faith since the onset of the persecution in 1999, he was repeatedly targeted. He served a 3-year labor camp term and two prison terms of 4 and 1.5 years, respectively. Following his arrest in 2001, his eight-month pregnant wife, also a Falun Gong practitioner, was so distressed that she suffered placental abruption, resulting in the unborn child’s death. She was never able to carry a baby again. She passed away in 2022, after enduring years of persecution, while Mr. Miao was still detained.
09.03.2025 – Jieyang City, Guangdong Province: Four arrested in one day, three remain detained
Minghui – Four Falun Gong practitioners in Jieyang City, Guangdong Province were arrested on January 21, 2025 and three of them are still detained at the time of writing.
Ms. Jiang Biyin, 83, Ms. Lin Suzhen, Ms. Jiang Xi’e, and a fourth woman with a given name of Liying (last name unknown) were arrested around 3 p.m. on January 21, 2025, while studying Falun Gong teachings at Ms. Lin’s home. The police broke in and took the practitioners to their respective homes for a raid. Ms. Lin’s Falun Gong books were confiscated. The police didn’t find any Falun Gong related materials at Ms. Jiang Biyin and Ms. Jiang Xi’e’s homes.
An insider revealed that Liying was recorded by street cameras while putting up posters about Falun Gong. The police followed her for a few days, before arresting her and other practitioners at Ms. Lin’s home.
Protestants
13.03.2025 – Pastor Bob Fu of China aid speaks at the Asia Freedom institute seminar on ‘christianity and the persecution of christians in China’
China Aid – Dr. Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid, has been invited as a keynote speaker at the Asia Freedom Institute’s live podcast on “Christianity and the Persecution of Christians in China.” The Institute is dedicated to promoting democracy and religious freedom in China and Tibet.
The Asia Freedom Institute’s announcement states that the Chinese Communist Party has intensified its crackdown on religious freedom, making China one of the most dangerous places for Christians to practice their faith. Underground churches are raided, pastors are arrested, and scriptures are altered to align with party ideology. Beijing seeks to eradicate any belief system or institution that could challenge its absolute authority, and even state-sanctioned churches have not been spared.
06.03.2025 – Decision delayed for imprisoned Yinchuan preacher Ma Yan
Bitter Winter – The family of imprisoned preacher Ma Yan has been told that from February 10, 2025, the Jinfeng District Court is “proceeding” with his case, but no verdict has been announced at the time of this writing.
Ma, born on June 6, 1992, in Zhenxiong County, Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province, is a resident of Xixia District, Yinchuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. He serves as a preacher for a house church in the Jinfeng District of Yinchuan City.
Ma embraced Christianity during his university years and subsequently established a house church in the Jinfeng District of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. He has consistently declined to join the government-affiliated Three-Self Church.
05.03.2025 – Shanxi authorities intensify eviction pressure on wife of Linfen Covenant house church pastor Li Jie
China Aid – On the morning of March 5, 2025, although Li Shanshan’s rental contract still has two years before expiration, her landlord once again requested that she vacate the apartment early and move out as soon as possible.
Li Shanshan’s husband, Pastor Li Jie, has been imprisoned for over two and a half years on charges of “fraud” for maintaining his stance on house church. Before his imprisonment, they had already experienced forced eviction in the cold winter due to their Christian faith. Four days ago, his wife Li Shanshan was again approached by the landlord demanding her to move out.
05.03.2025 – Authorities in Huainan City Anhui province vandalized the Xinyicun Church, arresting Pastor Pastor Zhao Hongliang and nine christians
China Aid – A church in Panji District, Huainan City, Anhui Province, has been subjected to government persecution, with nine Christians, including the pastor, being arrested.
On February 26, the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau of Panji District issued a notice to all religious sites, citing the need to “strengthen the standardized management of venues for religious activities, manage religious affairs, safeguard religious beliefs, and promote harmony and stability in the religious sphere.”
The bureau stated that personnel associated with the Xinyicun Church had been subjected to compulsory criminal detention by public security authorities on suspicion of committing illegal activities, and the case is currently under investigation.
05.03.2025 – Hefei’s Ganquan Church: Trial of Pastor Zhou Songlin and Elder Ding Zhongfu keeps being postponed
Bitter Winter – “Bitter Winter” has repeatedly reported on the persecution of Hefei’s Ganquan Church, a house church in Anhui province.
Hefei’s Ganquan Church has been established for approximately twenty years and comprises more than 400 members, which has drawn the attention of local authorities. The congregation, through member donations and with Elder Ding Zhongfu serving as treasurer, acquired two properties for worship and communal activities. As a house church unaffiliated with the government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement, Ganquan Church lacks legal status, resulting in the properties being registered under the names of its pastor and elders individually.