A symposium promises for the coming year more “Sinicization” and surveillance of all religions.
By Hu Zimo
In preparation for the Chinese New Year, Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee and Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the current top ideologist of the CCP, participated in a Spring Festival symposium attended by top leaders of government-controlled religious groups. The event, held last week, was an occasion to celebrate the Spring Festival with representatives from various religious communities. On behalf of the CCP Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping, Wang conveyed New Year greetings to pro-governments religious leaders and believers throughout the nation.
Shi Taifeng, member of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee and Minister of the Central United Front Work Department, also attended the symposium. The leaders of the China Buddhist Association, the China Daoist Association the China Islamic Association, the Patriotic Catholic Church, and the Three-Self Church all spoke at the meeting.
Wang Huning praised the government-controlled religious groups’ work in 2024 and expressed hope for more of the same in 2025. He emphasized their duty of following Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, implementing the directives of the 20th National Congress of the CCP and the Third Plenary Session, adhering to Xi Jinping’s views on religious work, and following the CCP Central Committee’s decisions. He called for Sinicizing religion in China even more, enforcing “strict management” of religion (meaning more direct interventions of the United Front in religious affairs), and supporting Chinese-style modernization.
“The Sinicization of religion should be systematically promoted,” he said, “aligning religious doctrines with China’s national conditions and core socialist values. Strengthening the rule of law in religious affairs is essential, ensuring adherence to laws and regulations. Comprehensive and strict governance of religion must continue, improving self-education, management, and discipline within religious circles.”
He emphasized the need to strengthen ideological and political guidance of religious communities, promote patriotism, and guide religious circles and believers to embrace the “five identifications.” This is a concept Xi Jinping increasingly insists on. The first two identifications are with “the Great Motherland” and “the Chinese Nation.” The “Great Motherland” is a concept encompassing all the territorial claims of the People’s Republic of China, including to Tibet, Xinjiang, and of course Taiwan. They are all parts of the “Great Motherland.” “The Chinese Nation” is in turn one entity, including minorities but shaped by Han Chinese history, language, and culture. That these two identifications need to be preached by the official religions means that they are expected to cooperate in the struggle against all forms of “separatism,” particularly by Uyghurs and Tibetans. They, and everybody else, should embrace the third identification: with “Chinese culture,” read Han Chinese culture even if, as in the case of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Southern Mongolians this is not their cultural tradition, and they speak a different tongue. The fourth and fifth identifications are with the Chinese Communist Party and with Marxist “Socialism with Chinese characteristics.” The Party is the sole arbiter authorized to define what should be kept of Chinese culture.
The new Chinese year, the message was, will further tighten the already strict control on all religions in China.
Source: bitterwinter.org
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