Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Promoting religious exchange with the rest of the world, and combating by every means possible those foreigners who use religion to infiltrate the country. These are the guidelines given by Jia Qinglin, president of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), to the officials of ministries and provincial administrations during a seminar dedicated to religious initiatives.
"The Party and the government have always attached great importance to religious work," says Jia (in the photo), and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has made "a series of major decisions and arrangements as well as new achievements in religious work, while the country's religious sector has maintained a united and stable situation."
The seminar was organized by the Organizational Department and the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, together with the State Administration of Religious Affairs, and the National School of Administration.
The president of the CPPCC reminded officials of the need to implement strictly the decisions and provisions that are made at the central level. Jia also called upon all to do as much as possible to keep the population united, both believers and nonbelievers, and to encourage everyone to dedication to the socialist cause according to the unique characteristics of China.
The Chinese government has long been watching the dizzying resurgence of religion in the country, unable to contain it. In order to stop the advance of religion, the Party and the Patriotic Associations are engaged in controlling "foreign influences" on the Christian religions (Protestant and Catholic, considered "foreign") and in promoting Buddhism and Confucianism as "national" spiritual paths.