ICC Note:

Christian persecution is not an uncommon occurrence for the citizens of China. The surprising factor is that today, persecution is not just for the believers, it is for anyone who tries to defend them which more often than not are human rights activists. According to the article, under Xi’s leadership, more human rights activists have been arrested in the past two years than in the previous two decades of China’s history combined. In spite of the intensified war on religion in China, the Christian community is thriving and is predicted to be the nation with the largest Christian population in the world by 2030. 

10/12/2016 China (Christian Today) – “Xi has overseen a deterioration in human-rights and rule of law conditions in China marked by greater consolidation of his own power – leading some analysts to draw comparisons to Mao Zedong – through forced ideological conformity and the systematic persecution of human rights lawyers and defenders,” the report said.

Under Xi’s leadership, more human rights activists have been arrested in the past two years than in the previous two decades combined. China’s Hui and Uighur Muslims have seen an unprecedented crackdown, with the imposition of severe restrictions regarding dress code and fasting during Ramadan. Up to 1,500 churches have been demolished or had their crosses removed, and numerous pastors have been arrested and detained.

The CPC is committed to maintaining absolute power, and religion is perceived as a threat. In 2014, it announced plans to nationalise Christian theology, and only allows state-recognised religious institutions to operate. Even those religious groups recognised by the government are encouraged to remember “that their allegiance is to the country, and the Party, first”.

However, the Christian community in China is thriving. When Mao came to power in 1949, there were just one million Christians. Experts believe that in less than two decades, China will have the largest population in the world.

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