ICC Note: According to the state news agency Global Times, China approved the removal of “two or three” crosses of churches in Yichuan county, Henan province, because the parishes were ‘illegally build without permission from the government.’

04/10/2018 China (Channel News Asia) –Chinese authorities have torn down “two or three” crosses adorning Christian churches in one county because they were “illegally built”, state media quoted an official as saying on Tuesday.

The officially atheist ruling Communist Party has tightened restrictions and oversight of religious practice in China under President Xi Jinping, carrying out a controversial cross demolition campaign in east China’s Zhejiang province.

The central government had also approved “two or three” crosses of churches in Yichuan county, in central Henan province, to be torn down, a religious affairs official surnamed Zhang said, according to the state-run Global Times newspaper.

“The parishes were illegally built without permission from the government, so we demolished their crosses,” the paper reported Zhang as saying. “Activities in the illegally built parishes will be prohibited.”

Zhang denied the removals targeted Christianity, and the report did not specify the denominations of churches that were impacted.

The crackdown comes amid expectations of a landmark deal between Beijing and the Vatican on the appointment of bishops that could eventually open the way for a resumption of diplomatic relations nearly 70 years after they were cut during the Communist takeover of China.

China says that it guarantees the freedom of religious practice as long as it does not challenge the leadership of the party, cause social instability or threaten national security.

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