Priest beaten in mayor's office

25 March 2009

On March 16, Father Francis Gao Jianli (39) was attacked while at the mayor's office in Xiangong town, Chencang district, China, where he had been invited to discuss a disputed church property. The land in question was seized during the Cultural Revolution and a factory was opened on the site. The factory has since shut down and both the church and the district government's property management office have made claims of ownership. When the government began to work on the land, hundreds of believers gathered on the site in protest. Father Jianli was summoned by the mayor to address the issue but was instead badly beaten by two men. At last report, Father Jianli remained in hospital in Baoji city and was under police surveillance.

Pray for a complete recovery for Father Jianli. Pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen Chinese Christians in their hearts, minds and bodies as they face opposition for their faith.

Learn more about China's suffering Christians at the China Country Report.

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.