Because of continuous pressure from the government, Chinese Christians are becoming more and more vigilant and are particularly mistrustful of new visitors.

“Who are you and why do you want to participate in the Mass?…”. With words like these Chinese Christian leaders are questioning new devotees who arrive at church services fearing they could be undercover police agents.

At the start of July, there were several unexpected police investigations in the churches of China that were immediately followed by arrests.  The Reformed Church of the Bible in Guangzhou- which is the capital of the province of Guangdong- was raided three times in one month. Some of the faithful were arrested and interrogated.

“When we started our service about 30 to 40 members of the unit that enforces cultural law accompanied by police descended on the place where we were gathered, ” recounted the Pastor Huang Xiaoning.

The local authorities are forced by the government to act against the churches. They oblige them to close their doors or to pay compensation. The office of the Religious Affairs required the assembly of Huang Xiaoning to pay a fee of 50 000 yuan (about € 6,400).

“Hide and seek” with the authorities

Christians have their activities controlled by the authorities. They are intimidated by the closure of their churches and having their members arrested. As a result, believers are exercising greater caution in their activities and movements.  

Responding to the pressure from the government, Christians usually alter the place of their meetings by assembling in house-churches and other secret places where the government cannot find them easily. Those responsible for the churches typically do not register their church in the office of Religious Affairs. They are afraid that the information they provide will be used against them.

On the 25th July, thirty-four churches in Beijing joined together to ask the government to respect the religious liberty and rights of practising citizens.

The government wants to control the  church

The Chinese government does not trust the Christian churches because they form part of an international network that is attracting more and more people as time goes on. The churches are also the most important social unit in the country and have the best-organised communities.

Pastor Huang was questioned in 2017 for establishing a training course with foreign participation; the government found it suspicious.

On the 1st of February of 2018, new religious laws came into force. They determined the administrative committee for religious activities,  which according to the State, “are intended to protect citizens’ religious beliefs.” In reality, they allow the government to increase its control over the religious activities of the Chinese citizens.

Source: Portes Ouvertes 

Translator: Ildikó Ungvári