Tag: China

Freedom House’s China report ‘misses big picture’

March 3, 2017 China China, Crosses, Xi Jinping, Zhejiang

A new report on abuses of religious freedom in China “misses the big picture” when it comes to Christians, according to China-watcher Ian Johnson. Johnson says Freedom House’s new report, The Battle for China’s Spirit, focuses too much on the cross removals in Zhejiang Province and misses “the most important . . . Read More

Unauthorised Christian activity banned in Xinjiang

February 28, 2017 China China, Churches, Terrorism, Xinjiang

Chinese authorities in the north-western region of Xinjiang have banned all Christian activities not linked to state-approved churches, apparently in an “anti-terror” move. Zhu Xiaohu, a house-church member from the city of Wusu, was one of six Christians recently fined 1,000 yuan ($145). Their Bibles were also confiscated. “They want . . . Read More

‘UN failing religious minorities and Christian converts’

February 15, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country Blasphemy, China, Genocide, Indonesia, Islamic State, Myanmar, Pakistan, Religious freedom, Saudi Arabia, UN

The suffering of persecuted Christians around the world is exacerbated by the failure of UN bodies to fulfil their obligations to uphold religious freedom, a damning report has claimed. The 27-page report, starkly entitled The UN’s Failure to Promote and Protect Religious Freedom, argues that concerns about the protection of . . . Read More

China expels South Korean missionaries

February 14, 2017 South Korea China, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, South Korea, USA

Thirty-two South Korean missionaries were expelled from China’s border region with North Korea last month, reports The Guardian. The 32 were based in China’s north-eastern Yanji region and many of them had worked there for more than a decade, South Korean media have reported. South Korea’s foreign ministry says it has . . . Read More

‘Like a jail without bars’: what it’s like working in China with women refugees from North Korea

January 19, 2017 China, Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Refugees, Women

Hwa-Young* works in China with women who fled North Korea or were abducted by people traffickers and taken across the border. Many of the women are tempted to leave behind a miserable life when they are told there are jobs waiting for them in China. But often they are sold . . . Read More

Chinese pastor Joseph Gu arrested again

January 13, 2017 China China, Chongyi Church, Crosses, Hangzhou, Joseph Gu, Zhejiang

The former leader of China’s largest official Protestant “mega-church” has been arrested and charged for the second time with misappropriating funds. Gu Yuese (also known as Joseph Gu) was arrested on 7 January, a year after being arrested on the same charges. (He was released on bail in March 2016, . . . Read More

NGO law shows China’s ‘challenging environment’

January 4, 2017 China China, Crosses, Inner Mongolia, Zhang Kai, Zhejiang

Christians working in China may be facing the “most challenging environment in decades”, according to Brent Fulton, president of China Source. This observation comes following the 1 January introduction of a new law regulating foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which, according to a spokeswoman for the American Embassy in Beijing, could . . . Read More

UK Foreign Office hosts global summit on freedom of religion or belief

October 27, 2016 Global News -- No Particular Country Bangladesh, China, Eritrea, Iran, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Kazakhstan, London, Lord Alton, Myanmar, North Korea, Religious freedom, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates

“Religious freedom can counter violent extremism” was the key message at a two-day global conference held at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) last week. The conference explored ways to build resilience against extremism and identified opportunities for collaboration. More than 50 expert speakers and over 170 participants from . . . Read More

China jails church leader for ‘subversion’

August 3, 2016 China Beijing, China

Chinese authorities have jailed long-time activist Hu Shigen, among hundreds of lawyers and activists arrested since 9 July last year: the date prompted the group to become known as ‘709’ . Hu, an elder of an “unregistered” Protestant church in Beijing, pleaded guilty in Tianjin (60 miles southeast of Beijing) to . . . Read More

China to shut churches during G20

July 28, 2016 China China, Crosses, G20, Hangzhou, Zhejiang

House churches in a part of Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province, have been told to close down when the city hosts China’s first-ever G20 summit, reports . The coastal province, known as the ‘Jerusalem’ of the east as many of China’s estimated 70-80 million Christians are there, is . . . Read More

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