On October 27, two Catholic priests, Father Wang Xhow Fa and Father P. Paulus Shao Gu Min, were arrested shortly after celebrating Mass. The two priests have been under significant pressure from the authorities for many years and were recently interviewed by the Italian news service, L'Espresso. Police would not confirm whether the interview had anything to do with their arrest. Two Catholic Priests Arrested
On October 27, two Catholic priests, Father Wang Xhow Fa and Father P. Paulus Shao Gu Min, were arrested shortly after celebrating Mass. The two priests have been under significant pressure from the authorities for many years and were recently interviewed by the Italian news service, L'Espresso. Police would not confirm whether the interview had anything to do with their arrest. - 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 stateLegal system
Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systemsSources: 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.
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China News
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Church Members Charged for Hosting Sunday School
Photo: Unsplash / Wei Chen In early May, six Christians were arrested in Kaili, a city located within China's Guizhou province. Authorities accused the believers of fraud and "organizing minors to engage in activities undermining public order." The alleged "crime" leading to these charges was hosting a children's Sunday school program and allowing families to worship together as a church.
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Pastor John Cao Suffers Major Health Concerns
Pastor John Cao and his family.
Photo: ChinaAidIn 2017, Pastor John Cao was arrested by Chinese authorities for allegedly "organizing illegal border crossings." Sentenced to seven years in prison, he was finally freed in March 2024. Following his release, Pastor John hoped to reunite with his wife and two children in the United States, where he holds permanent residency. However, Chinese authorities have withheld the church leader's passport, forcing him to remain in China. (For more details, see our previously published report.)
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Christian Leaders Released from Prison
Church leaders in front of a banner stating,
”Dad, welcome home.”
Photo: ChinaAidIn August 2022, police raided a family camp run by the Linfen Covenant House Church, resulting in numerous arrests and the closure of both the church and its affiliated school. (For additional details, see these reports.) Among those arrested were Pastor Li Jie, Han Xiaodong and Wang Qiang.
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Church Elder Released After Five Years' Imprisonment
Elder Zhang Chunlei
Photo: ChinaAidZhang Chunlei is an elder with the Ren'ai Reformed Church in Guiyang, China. Following his arrest in March 2021, he was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly "inciting subversion of state power." The Christian leader also received accusations of fraud relating to the receipt of church offerings – a charge commonly used to suppress unregistered congregations. Fellow believers describe the elder as a "gentle, yet firm spiritual leader."
