ChinaAid, an organization that monitors religious freedom in China, has released its annual report detailing the Communist Party of China’s (CCP) oppression and persecution of Chinese Christians. The report is based on information from a network of Christians throughout the country, but it is not exhaustive due to the CCP’s digital surveillance and totalitarian nature. Nonetheless, it is considered one of the most comprehensive overviews of Chinese Christian persecution.
Last year, the CCP’s persecution of Christian churches and Christians in mainland China escalated daily, leading to fear among them about exposing their experiences. The report shows that the persecution continued to escalate in 2022, with new methods being used. For example, house church pastors and leaders faced increased “fraud” charges, and the authorities claimed that tithing and offerings were illegal. In addition, the central government imposed strict regulations against religious content on the internet to remove Christianity from cyberspace.
Bob Fu, ChinaAid’s president and founder, highlighted the report’s findings:
“The CCP implemented various strategies against Christians in 2022. By using the new measures against religious content online and the infamous zero-COVID policy, authorities limited or eliminated Christian gatherings. By using charges of ‘fraud,’ the Chinese government financially suffocated the house church movement. We are gravely concerned about how the Communist Regime also treats the state-sanctioned church. Previously, they asked for sole allegiance to the Communist Party, but since the 20th National Party Congress, they shifted their emphasis to aligning with Xi Jinping. Their goal is not only to curate a ‘socialist-friendly’ church; they hope to erase it. The international community needs to know about these trends and developments as China continues to rise on the global stage.”