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China

• Over A Hundred Arrested

  

  On the evening of December 9th, police in Chengdu, Sichuan, began a coordinated attack on members of the Early Rain Covenant Church. Throughout the night and the next day, homes were raided and church members dragged away. Thus far, around a hundred church leaders and seminary students have been arrested. Some who have since been released claim that they were abused and deprived of food and water while in custody.

• Christians Positively Respond to Persecution

  

  Despite ongoing attacks from authorities, members of the Early Rain Covenant Church have continued to preach on the streets. In October, 20 members of the church were detained for street evangelism. Despite the danger, church members gathered together again on November 14th to hand out fliers.

• More Churches Being Closed

  

  In a continuing campaign against unregistered churches around the country, Chinese authorities have taken action in recent weeks by shutting them down or blocking access to congregants.

  On October 16th, police shut down the Guangfu Church in Guangzhou, declaring it an "unqualified venue." The church has faced opposition numerous times in the past. In July, the Religious Affairs Bureau met with Pastor Ma Ke and ordered him to join the state-run Three-Self Patriotic Movement. When the church refused, congregants were informed that they would be "overseen by the government."

• Forceful Shutdown of Zion Church

  

  When Zion Church, one of Beijing's largest underground churches, refused to install surveillance cameras which could allow authorities to monitor them, they didn't know it would end with officials storming the church building to forcefully shut it down.

  After the worship service on September 9th, government officials entered the hall where the church members met with orders to close the church and confiscate their "illegal promotional material." In August, authorities had closed seven branches of the Zion Church around the city (see this report). With this latest order, all activities of the church have been officially banned. The church's pastor, Jin Mingri, states, "I fear that there is no way for us to resolve this issue with the authorities."

• Minors Banned from Religious Activities

  

  As a "semi-autonomous state" under the control of mainland China, Tibet has maintained a unique place for being predominantly Buddhist. However, since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has adopted stricter controls over religious activities, all religions in Tibet have been affected. Most recently, controls have been enforced prohibiting children from participating in any religious activities.

• Churches Facing Government Crackdown

  

  As the Chinese government institutes new religious guidelines, churches throughout the country are facing significant problems from authorities at the local, provincial and national levels. New policies are pressuring churches to align with government ideologies in an attempt to "unify national thought."

  As a result, crosses are being torn down and authorities are ordering churches to sing patriotic songs and hang the national flag. Unregistered "house" churches are also being pressured to join along with the registered churches, where they would be under more control of the authorities.

• Remembering John Cao

  

  The communist rule of China, which began in 1949 with Mao Zedong, set the stage for what is known to be one of the world's worst countries for persecution in the past century. Christians, among other religious groups, have faced house arrest, imprisonment, torture, and even death, for their refusal to subject themselves to government control. Even churches that do agree to be state-monitored and registered are not exempt due to the severe restrictions imposed upon them.

• Churches Ordered to Replace Cross

  

  Churches throughout Jiangxi received a warning in early July from authorities demanding that all crosses be removed, and instead they were to be replaced with the national flag or an image of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The warning also demanded that they keep all children away from church.

• Tortured Pastor Released from Imprisonment!

  

  Imprisoned pastor Yang Hua returned to his home in Guizhou province on June 19th after suffering mistreatment during his two-and-a-half-year jail term. Yang was first imprisoned on December 9th, 2015, after police raided Living Stone Church. He was charged with "illegally possessing state secrets," as well as divulging those secrets. For more information on his arrest and conviction, click here.

• Underground and Official Churches Targeted
  
  Posters are often torn down or painted
  over if they contain Christian messages.
  Photo: ChinaAid

  As of the end of May, almost 100 house churches in the central Chinese province of Henan have been shut down. Along with those closures, authorities have taken action against the official Three-Self Patriot Movement churches, demanding that all crosses be removed from their buildings.

  According to a member of an official church, after orders were received to remove the crosses, they chose to remove them on their own, rather than face demolition by government crews. "No one dares defy the orders," he stated.