“In previous years, persecution in China was highly regionalized. It targeted unregistered or so-called ‘underground’ churches. It rose and fell,” Foley explains. “In 2018,” Foley says, “we see a full-scale offensive based on the implementation of the February 2018 state directives against religion. The Chinese government is now making war against the church.”

Foley explains that persecution in 2018 happened all across China, across all sects and denominations, encompassing registered and unregistered churches. She says that the first three months of 2019 shows no sign of slowing.

“From the east to the west, from the Three-self church to the house church, from the ethnic majority to the ethnic minority, people are being persecuted for their faith in Christ,” says Foley.
Foley notes that on September 1, 2018, Chinese pastors from of all denominations from both registered and unregistered churches published “A Joint Statement by Pastors: A Declaration for the Sake of the Christian Faith.” The document urged Chinese authorities to stop persecuting the church. According to Foley, within only 20 days, more than 345 pastors signed the declaration.