Outgoing Prime Minister Li Keqiang: it is necessary to “actively guide religions to adapt to socialist society.” In Henan, believers must fill out an online form for masses, prayers in a mosque or rituals in Buddhist temples. There are 11 Catholic representatives at the new (and useless) Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
Beijing () – “The basic policy of the Party has been implemented [Comunista Chino] for religious activities and the ‘sinicization’ of religions has been gradually carried out”. This is the key passage on the CCP’s religious policy in Li Keqiang’s government activities report at the opening of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPA).
In his speech on March 5, the outgoing prime minister pointed out that it is necessary to “actively guide religions so that they adapt to socialist society.” The Henan authorities are following the order with great zeal. As China Christian Daily reports, believers of all faiths are required to register to attend religious services: this applies as much to churches and mosques as it does to Buddhist temples.
Henan believers must fill out a form available on the “Smart Religion” app of the Provincial Commission for Ethnic and Religious Affairs. The compilation requires providing data such as name, telephone number, identity document, permanent residence, occupation and date of birth. When entering holy sites, worshipers are also required to take their temperatures, a sign that some anti-pandemic restrictions remain in place after the December openings.
Sinicization therefore coincides with the registration and control of the population. In Henan, the persecution against Christians is very harsh, since they represent about 4% of the population, a higher percentage than in the rest of the country. It should be remembered that for almost two years the local police have illegally detained (without conviction or charge) Msgr. Joseph Zhang Weizhu, Bishop of Xinxiang.
In this climate of oppression against religions, the uselessness of public bodies that are supposed to represent the interests of Chinese civil society is becoming increasingly evident. Above all, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a body that, together with the much more important ANP, has the function of formalizing the decisions already taken by President Xi Jinping and the leadership of the Party.
Made up of 2,172 delegates, the CPPCC meets these days at the same time as the ANP for the “two sessions” (Lianghui), where the appointments to lead the country during Xi’s third term will be made official.
There are 11 Catholic representatives in the CPPCC; only three are part of the group of vice presidents: Bishop Shen Bin, Bishop of Haimen (Jiangsu) and president of the Council of Chinese Bishops, a body not recognized by the Holy See and linked to the CCP; the Archbishop of Beijing, Monsignor José Li Shan, president of the Patriotic Association of Chinese Catholics, another entity that is an expression of the regime; and Monsignor Fang Xinyao, Bishop of Linyi (Shandong).
