The United Front Work Department brings the campaign promoted among Christians to other religions.
by Zhang Chunhua
“Bitter Winter” recently reported on the “China Christian Implementation of Strict Governance of Religion Exchange Meeting” held in Xi’an, Shaanxi from June 27 to 28, 2024, immediately following the high-level national seminar on Sinicization of religion of June 26.
“Strict Governance of Religion” is a comparatively new slogan the United Front Work Department has started promoting among Christians. It means, first, that Christians pastors should put Xi Jinping Thought at the center of their religious meetings and sermons, and, second, that the bureaucrats of the government-controlled Three-Self Church should acknowledge that they have not proved effective enough in making sure that this happens and should accept direct supervision by the CCP and the United Front Work Department.
It seems that “Strict Governance of Religion” is not for Christians only. Shi Taifeng, the head of the United Front Work Department and a member of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee, visited Gansu province from July 10 to 13. As reported by the State Administration of Religious Affairs, Shi visited Lanzhou City, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, and Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and met with Hui Muslim and Tibetan Buddhist pro-government leaders.
He warned against “separatism” and insisted that religions should preach “the identification of people of all ethnic groups with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism.”
Shi also presented the project of “Strict Governance of Religion,” insisting that Hui Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists need more “ideological and political education” and should gladly submit to “the ideological and political guidance of religious figures and believers” by the Party and the United Front.
It seems that the “Strict Governance of Religion” is a campaign now gradually implemented among all state-controlled religions and in all provinces and regions.
Source: BITTER WINTER
