Chinese Regulation Bans Proselytization
(AP | Beijing | February 5, 1994)
China announced new rules on religion Saturday that forbid foreigners from converting Chinese and setting up schools or other religious organizations. The new regulations, which went into effect Jan 31, were promulgated by the State Council, China's Cabinet.
The official Xinhua News Agency said the new rules carry penalties, but didn't say what they are. In the past, foreigners found proselytizing were expelled from the country.
Many Christian missionaries come to China as teachers, and some have been expelled for holding Bible study groups or otherwise trying to convert Chinese. Tibetan Buddhists and Muslims in western China also are having more contacts with fellow believers from outside China. The outsiders sometimes tie religious teachings with political goals, such as independence for Tibet or founding an independent Eastern Turkestan republic.
China's constitution grants freedom of religion, but proselytizing, even by Chinese, is prohibited. The government keeps a tight rein on its state-approved Roman Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Taoist and Muslim groups, and has harshly cracked down on all unofficial religious activities.
The 13-article regulation said foreigners can't set up religious offices or run religious places of worship and schools. They also are forbidden to "cultivate religious disciples among Chinese citizens and appoint religious clergy," Xinhua said.
That appeared to refer to the Vatican, which has secretly appointed bishops in China. Beijing doesn't recognize the authority of the pope. Religious materials "which have contents harmful to China's social public interests" are banned, the report said without explaining or giving examples. Religious publications, recordings and video tapes, other than those for one's personal use, also are banned. A 20-article regulation on management of places of worship also was announced Saturday.
It said these sites can't be controlled by foreign groups or individuals, and donations to Chinese places of worship should be handled according to regulations. That means the power to decide how foreign donations are spent lies with government officials rather than with the recipient.
The new regulation forbids the use of places of worship to conduct "activities which undermine the national unity ... and social stability." That can mean anything authorities disapprove of.
It also says places of worship must have licenses for their land and buildings, which would prohibit the use of one's home to hold a religious gathering. Authorities in the past have used similar rules to crack down on China's underground Protestant and Catholic churches, many of which meet in private homes.
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