In accordance with the US’ International Religious Freedom Act, the US Department of State once again on Dec. 18 last year listed China and eight other countries as “countries of particular concern” in terms of religious freedom. China angrily responded that interference in its domestic affairs is not acceptable.
This is the country that was given a freedom score of 11 out of 100 by Freedom House and has been condemned around the world for its religious persecution, but Beijing is incapable of showing any sense of shame. All the Chinese government can do instead is accuse others of interfering in its domestic affairs.
If the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) truly dislikes “interference in domestic affairs,” how can it justify occupying the Xinjiang region and Tibet?
The Chinese government should give these regions back their independence. Instead, Beijing moves Han Chinese to these areas in an attempt to dilute the Uighur and Tibetan populations; wipe out their religion, language and culture; and keep Tibetan Buddhists and Uighur Muslims under its control.
There have been reports that the Chinese government has detained between 800,000 and 2 million Uighurs and other Muslims, and sent 1 million CCP members to live with Uighur families and report any signs of “extremist religious behavior.”
Beijing also employs advanced surveillance technology in its suppression of Tibetan Buddhists.
In China, anyone engaged in “unauthorized” religious activity is arrested and sent to jail. Only authorized activities enjoy “religious freedom.” What kind of religious freedom is that?
People are forced to accept “Sinicized” religious perspectives, and there have been reports that Muslims in some areas are being forced to eat pork. This is worse than gangsters pushing people around.
In what the Chinese call their “interior,” many churches have been instructed to hang images of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Mao Zedong (毛澤東) alongside images of Jesus. Does the CCP know that the people crucified on either side of Jesus were thieves?
The religious persecution conducted by the atheist CCP is a matter of universal knowledge, but what is less well known is the party’s interest in Taiwan’s temples over the past few years.
In the case of the temples, there is no persecution, as here they are providing funding to them. It has been reported that at least 30 temples in Taiwan are backed by Chinese funds.
Michael Mazza, a US academic studying the CCP’s influence in Taiwan, says that China has been in long-term contact with Taiwanese temple associations and religious leaders, and has used hospitality and tourism as a method for changing the political climate in Taiwan.
The people in charge of these temples have clearly abandoned their faith as they sell out the goddess Matsu, war god Guan Gong and the Wangye, or royal lords, to help the CCP with its “united front” tactics.
Why does the atheist CCP, which is dedicated to persecution of religious activity in China, show such interest in folk beliefs in Taiwan?
Matsu and Guan Gong followers, when you burn your incense sticks and pray, please pray that your temple association leaders and board members would grow a backbone to prevent them from embarrassing your deities.
Lee Hsiao-feng is a professor at the Graduate School of Taiwanese Culture at National Taiwan University of Education.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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