File photo: On March 5, 2021, the day before the opening of China's National People's Congress (NPC), police patrol Tiananmen Square with dogs on a day of heavy air pollution in Beijing. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images.)
[People News] As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) convenes its annual "Two Sessions," authorities have intensified their crackdown on Christian churches. More than ten Christians have been detained by the police in Anhui and Guangxi, while church venues have been raided, vandalized, and forcibly taken over.
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), during the National People's Congress (NPC) and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) meetings in Beijing, churches in Anhui, Guangxi, and Yunnan were raided by authorities, with believers arrested and even placed under criminal detention.
On Wednesday (March 5), news emerged from the Xin Yicun Church in Tianji Subdistrict, Panji District, Huainan City, Anhui Province, that Pastor Zhao Hongliang and eight other Christians had been arrested since February. According to the U.S.-based ChinaAid, four of the detained individuals, including Pastor Zhao, are now under criminal detention, while five others have been released on bail pending trial. Local authorities have forcibly taken control of the church, stationing officials from the subdistrict office and the religious affairs department to manage it, while police continue to harass believers.
A pastor surnamed Chen, who is familiar with the situation, told RFA on Friday that during the "Two Sessions," authorities have tightened control over churches in Anhui, Henan, and Zhejiang—especially targeting believers who previously resisted joining state-sanctioned churches. He noted that even though Xin Yicun Church is officially recognized as a government-approved "Three-Self" church, it was still subjected to a crackdown: "The 'Two Sessions' started on the 5th, and their control in that area is particularly strict. Over here, church regulations are also very tight. Even the security bureau frequently visits to check on foreign missionaries and harass them, issuing warnings."
On February 26, the Panji District Government and the District Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau issued an announcement regarding religious venues and believers, stating that in order to "further strengthen the regulation of religious sites in the jurisdiction," personnel associated with Xin Yicun Church had been placed under criminal detention by the public security authorities due to alleged illegal activities. A joint working group, composed of personnel from the district religious affairs bureau, the Tianji Subdistrict Office, and the district-level Christian "Two Associations" (government-affiliated church organizations), has been deployed to take over church operations until internal management is deemed compliant.
The announcement warned Christians that religious activities must be conducted strictly within legal boundaries, or else severe punishment would follow. RFA reporters attempted to contact the Panji District Government, the District Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, and the Tianji Subdistrict Office, but none of the calls were answered.
A house church pastor surnamed Zhou in Huainan told RFA that there is a church in nearly every village in the region. He suggested that local officials see suppressing churches as a way to demonstrate their loyalty and competence upon assuming office: "The local government probably wants to make a name for itself. When a new leader takes office, they always want to show their authority, and cracking down on churches is one way to do it."
Nine Christians Arrested in Baise, Guangxi
On the evening of March 1, police raided a family church in Baise City, Guangxi, resulting in the arrest of nine Christians, including three children. As of now, individuals such as Qin Tao, Cui Tiande, and Chen Shaofeng remain in custody.
According to reports from the China Aid News Network, in July 2024, the Public Security Bureau of Dongxing City, Guangxi, detained six Christians under the pretext of 'using religion to harm society.' The detainees filed for administrative reconsideration, but the Dongxing City government upheld the original decision. The case has now been taken to court, with a hearing scheduled for March 14.
A pastor named Sun from Jiangmen, Guangdong, informed Radio Free Asia that there have been numerous reports of church suppression across various regions recently. Authorities have particularly targeted believers who bring their children to gatherings, warning them: 'Churches in Henan, Anhui, Shenzhen, and other inland areas are facing threats and intimidation, stating that they should not allow minors to gather, as this constitutes an illegal assembly.'
In Shangri-La, Yunnan, a believer from a family church shared with Radio Free Asia that while authorities have not actively prevented their gatherings recently, they have imposed a limit of eight participants per meeting. Additionally, authorities have installed cameras at the entrances of believers' homes to monitor attendance: 'Currently, adult gatherings cannot exceed seven or eight people; they have set up surveillance at the front door, and there is also monitoring inside the church. However, we haven't gone there; we gather at home, and they have installed surveillance.'
In recent years, the Chinese Communist government has increasingly tightened its grip on Christianity, especially regarding house churches, implementing measures that include restrictions, suppression, and even outright bans. The recent series of crackdowns in regions such as Anhui and Guangxi during this year's 'Two Sessions' further underscores the authorities' hardline position on religious freedom.
On March 7, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that the Taiwan Strait Exchange Foundation confirmed the detention of two members of the Unification Church from Taiwan in China. According to family members, the couple was arrested on January 12. The male member has since been released on bail, while the female member remains in custody. The Exchange Foundation has informed Taiwan's Ministry of Justice and the Criminal Investigation Bureau about the situation and has also sent a letter to the Chinese Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits to facilitate coordination on this issue.
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