Hospital Pressured to Release Beaten Chinese Businessman

12 October 2005

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As reported in the Persecution and Prayer Alert last week, on the morning on September 28, Tong Qimiao, a Christian businessman from Zhejiang Province, was questioned by security agents in Kashgar. Since he had no idea what they were asking him about, Qimiao was unable to give them the information they were seeking. Consequently, the police seriously beat him and left him with a broken chest bone. He was hospitalized and forced to sign a statement that he had not been beaten during his interrogation.

On October 8, under intense pressure from Chinese security police, the hospital asked Tong to leave the facility, despite his need for continued treatment. This action was because earlier that morning, Tong and his wife had visited the offices of both local State Security Bureau and the Public Security of Kashgar asking them to investigate the abuse and torture he had received at the hands of the State Security officers. Security officials are still refusing to investigate.

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.