Stricter Controls for Social Media Interactions

A young man sitting on the Great Wall of China, taking a picture with his cell phone.

Starting on December 15th, Chinese Internet users can be held liable for merely "liking" a social media post that the government considers harmful or illegal. The new rules are part of the recently imposed guidelines published by the Cyberspace Administration of China, mandating that all service providers carefully monitor comments and reactions – both digitally and through "speech review teams." Any so-called "bad information" is to be reported to the Internet Information Department.

Those who post information deemed illegal or harmful will be subjected to a variety of penalties – ranging from warnings, forceful deletion of content, suspension of accounts, or other measures. The scrutinized "content" not only includes written comments but also applies to emojis and other methods of reacting.

In response to the new rules, a spokesperson for ChinaAid commented, "The promulgation of the new regulations will narrow the already limited space for Chinese citizens to speak on the Internet, and the freedom of speech of Chinese citizens will be severely suppressed." For more information on the challenges facing believers in China, go to our country report.

In light of these heightened Internet restrictions, pray that our Christian brothers and sisters throughout China will use spiritual discernment, giving careful consideration when addressing the daily issues presented on various social media sites. May they have wisdom on how to best respond in any situation. Additionally, please uplift in prayer all the evangelists in China who are endeavouring to share the Gospel in their communities and beyond. May they not be discouraged by the increased government interference but rather further inspired to seek innovative ways to conduct ministry outreach and discipleship, wisely seizing every God-ordained opportunity to proclaim the "Good News"of Jesus.

  • 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.

China News

  • Bible Study Meeting Raided in Inner Mongolia
    Believers are singing hymns at the Xuan'en Church.
    Xuan'en Church
    Photo: ChinaAid

    On the morning of July 17th, several Christians from the Xuan'en Church in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, were gathered for a Bible study when the meeting was suddenly interrupted by a raid. The intruding officials, who were sent by multiple agencies, recorded the names and phone numbers of the attending Christians and ordered them to end the meeting – based on the grounds that they are not part of the government-sanctioned Three-Self church. Since this was considered a first offence, the believers were issued a warning.

  • Chen Wensheng Sentenced to 19 Months
    Chen Wensheng is smiling.
    Chen Wensheng
    Photo: ChinaAid

    Chen Wensheng is no stranger to arrests and police intimidation. A radically reformed former drug addict, the Christian evangelist has travelled throughout China to share his testimony, gaining the nickname of "Gospel Warrior." (See these other reports about this faithful believer.)

  • New Health Concerns for Elder Zhang Chunlei
    Zhang Chunlei with his wife
    Elder Zhang Chunlei and his wife
    Photo: ChinaAid

    Zhang Chunlei is an elder with the Ren'ai Reformed Church in Guiyang, China. He was detained in March 2021 and remained in detention without charge until his trial in November 2022, when he was accused of "inciting subversion of state power." The trial was held in secret, without any witnesses, and a verdict has never been announced since then. In the meantime, Elder Zhang continues to remain imprisoned. (Review previously published reports about this church leader's case.)