CHINA: OFFICIAL DECLARES CHRISTIANITY “A GREAT HARM TO THE CHINESE NATION”
Contents from a 2019 lecture by a Chinese official have come to light in which Christianity is called “a great harm to the Chinese nation.” Persecution watchdog Voice of the Martyrs Korea and its US-based partner ChinaAid say the comment reflects the Chinese Communist Party’s longstanding concerns about the ideological and national security impacts of Christianity.
“Voice of the Martyrs Korea and China Aid have learned that in 2019, the Hebi Municipal Radio Management Bureau conducted a training session for Communist Party members and applicants, during which it declared, ‘Christianity is a great harm to the Chinese nation’,” says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley.
The Hebi Municipal Radio Management Bureau is an official organization responsible for political propaganda under the Henan Provincial Government.
Representative Foley says Voice of the Martyrs Korea and ChinaAid have learned that the content of the lecture which included that statement was then published on the Chinese social media platform, Weibo, before being deleted two days later.
According to China analyst Jennifer Zeng, who operates the blog “Inconvenient Truths”, the photos showing the slides with the anti-Christian statement can be traced back to a special party lecture that was held on April 22, 2019, by the Radio Management Bureau in Hebi City, Henan Province. Zeng notes that in the lecture, the official also noted the rapid expansion of Christianity, citing claims of 70 million Protestant believers and 12 million Catholics.
Representative Foley says even though those numbers are likely low, they rival the membership of China’s Communist Party. “Most scholars and experts estimate the total number of Christians in China could be as high as 130 million, which far exceeds the official Communist Party Member count, which was reported as around 99 million in 2023.”
According to Zeng, the Hebi lecture also detailed the characteristics of Christianity’s expansion, noting its “broad coverage, strong momentum, rapid growth, proactive offensive strategies, numerous unreasonable demands, and backing from foreign forces.” These attributes were identified as posing significant ideological risks, according to Zeng.
Voice of the Martyrs Korea and ChinaAid learned that the official account of the Hebi Municipal Radio Management Bureau reported on the lecture with a statement that read:
“In recent years, Christianity has been rampant and spreading in our country. To ensure that all party members correctly understand Christianity and prevent ideological deviations, this study session was organized and achieved effective results. On the morning of April 22, the Hebi Municipal Radio Management Bureau held a special party lecture titled ‘The Great Threat of Christianity to the Security of the Chinese Nation,’ which yielded very positive outcomes.”
Slide from a 2019 lecture at the Hebi Municipal Radio Administration Bureau. The text reads, “The great harm of Christianity to the security of the Chinese nation”. (Photo: ChinaAid Source)
Christianity is one of the five officially recognized religions in China’s Constitution, but according to Representative Foley, the practice of Christianity has always been restricted in the country under communism. She says that even though restrictions are on the increase, Chinese officials have become more intent on avoiding the spread of information about persecution, especially internationally.
“During the large-scale campaign to forcibly remove church crosses in Zhejiang from 2014 to 2016, Chinese officials learned how quickly Christians disseminate news about persecution in China around the world,” says Representative Foley. “As a result, they have implemented strict measures to block information flow regarding anti-Christian campaigns and actions.”
According to Representative Foley, the 2019 lecture in Hebi shows how seriously Christianity is viewed as a threat by China’s Communist Party.
“Hebi is located in Henan province, where Christianity has been growing rapidly and where persecution has been especially severe since 2018,” says Representative Foley. “But the attitude toward Christianity shown in the 2019 Hebi Municipal Radio Management Bureau lecture is not a local phenomenon. Since 2018, countless Christian gatherings across all of China’s provinces have been shut down, including some of the largest churches in the country. The involvement of the Municipal Radio Management Bureau is an example reflection of local institutions serving national security interests, and in China, the CCP continues to regard Christianity as a potential threat to national security.”
Individuals interested in learning more about the persecution of house church Christians of China can visit https://vomkorea.com/en/project/china .
Photo posted by the official account of the Hebi Municipal Radio Administration Bureau. Text on the slide reads “The Great Threat of Christianity to the Security of the Chinese Nation” (Photo: ChinaAid Source)