Human Rights Dialogue Between China and Canada

19 February 2003

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) is calling on Christians to pray for meetings taking place on February 15-21 between Canadian and Chinese officials. Ye Xiaowen, Director-General of the Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs, is visiting Canada as part of the Canada-China Bilateral Human Rights Dialogue. Mr. Ye and his delegation will be meeting with Canadian government and religious leaders to talk about church-state relations in Canada. And EFC delegate was scheduled to meet with the delegation last Monday.

Pray that there will be a positive and truthful interaction between the Chinese officials and Christians during these meetings. Pray that these talks can help in easing the persecution against Christians in China. Pray that Canadian delegates will not be misled into believing the misinformation frequently propagated by the Chinese government.

China

Current Ministry Projects
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada continues to help distribute Bibles to Christians in the country, making it possible for them to have their own printed version of God's Word. Additionally, VOMC works with various mission partners to facilitate a Biblical understanding of persecution and discipleship, while presenting ways to effectively respond and minister within the context of hostility.

Project Funds: Underground Church, Bible, Relief & Development
Country Information
Population
1,413,142,846 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Han Chinese (91.1), ethnic minorities (8.9 - includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

Religion (%)
Folk religion (21.9), Buddhist (18.2), Christian (5.1), Muslim (1.8), Hindu (< 0.1), Jewish (< 0.1), other (0.7 - includes Daoist [Taoist]), unaffiliated (52.1) (2021 est.)

Leader
President Xi Jinping (2013)

Government type
Communist party-led state

Legal system
Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems

Sources: CIA World Factbook
Pray for China
Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout China without government interference so many more names can be added to the Lamb's "Book of Life." May there also be a spirit of unity demonstrated among the country's growing churches, further strengthening existing believers and spurring them on in their ministry service and evangelistic outreach within the country's numerous communities.