The communist government of China is once again imposing itself on the nation’s growing religious community, passing new regulations to “sinicize” (make more Chinese) religion to conform to Chinese communism.
An article in the nation’s government-run Global Times newspaper Thursday announced the new regulations as if they were the result of an agreement between leaders of all faiths. The Chinese government officially allows only five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity (identified as a separate religion from Catholicism). “Leaders of China’s five main religious groups have agreed Wednesday to sinicize their religions by integrating religious doctrines into Chinese culture,” the article proclaims, praising government-approved religious leaders for embracing the new reforms.
The article quotes Fu Xianwei, the head of China’s “Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches,” as approving of the integration of religion into “Chinese culture.” “Theology shall reflect Chinese culture,” Fu is quoted as saying.
The Global Times also cites an Islamic leader—”Mu Kefa, the deputy chairman of the China Islamic Association”—who approves of reforming Islam into a more Chinese religion. “Only by sinicizing religion can Islam be prosperous and healthy,” Mu says in the article.
The newspaper does not define what “sinicizing” is or would look like for the nation’s religious communities. President Xi Jinping has placed a strong emphasis on Chinese nationalism during his tenure and under his leadership, the Communist Party has repeatedly attempted to reform various parts of society with “Chinese characteristics.” Beijing’s rampant human rights violations are merely human rights “with Chinese characteristics.” A communist dictatorship is “democracy with Chinese characteristics.” A communist dictatorship that allows for business ownership for cronies within the party is “socialism with Chinese characteristics.”
Religion “with Chinese characteristics,” then, may likely be religion that promotes the well-being of the elites in power. According to a Reuters report published Thursday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang adopted new regulations reportedly meant to curb the spread of religious extremism in the country. “Religious affairs maintenance should persist in a principle of maintaining legality, curbing illegality, blocking extremism, resisting infiltration and attacking crime,” according to the text of the new regulation.
Beijing appears particularly concerned with Islam, due to the presence of Islamic extremist movements in western Xinjiang province, and Christianity, which has seen a rapid surge in popularity and fueled human rights and anti-communist movements across the country.
China has passed significant legislation to contain both religions in the past year. A year ago, the Chinese Communist Party passed laws to reform early education, encouraging students to tell government officials if their parents or neighbors introduce them to any religious content. China also uses building and zoning regulations to prevent Christians from building new churches and to demolish old ones, as well as aggressively targeting “house churches,” underground Bible study groups where clergy do not have to use pro-government sermons or encourage support for Xi.
In April, Chinese officials ordered the installation of security cameras in churches to ensure they could monitor Christians during their worship activities.
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