The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released a report revealing an alarming amount of state control from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over Christian churches in the country. The report reveals that the CCP has removed numerous Chrisian symbols from churches such as crosses, images of Mary in Catholic churches, and images of Christ from churches, replacing them with communist symbols, including portraits of Xi Jinping. The CCP justifies such moves as “sinicization of religion,” which is meant to conform something to Chinese culture, but the USCIRF identifies such moves as a violation of religious freedom.

China identifies itself as an atheist country and has often been hostile to faiths within its borders. During China’s Cultural Revolution, many places of worship were destroyed, and many religious adherents were killed. China’s policies since the Revolution have permitted more religious practices, with about 5 percent of the country’s population identifying as Christian. The CCP often instructs church religious leaders on what kinds of messages they are allowed to preach, with many being told to preach in favor of CCP ideology. “At the center of the CCP’s institutional control of religion are seven state-controlled national religious organizations, often referred to as ‘patriotic religious associations,’ and their local branches,” the report states.

CCP interference has forced many churches to go “underground,” meaning they do not recognize CCP authority over their church. For example, underground Catholic churches recognize the Pope as the head of their churches and not the CCP. Many Catholic leaders who do not join the state-controlled national religious organizations have been “disappeared,” according to the report. Similarly, underground Protestant leaders often find themselves being arrested and detained. “Sinicization entrenches the CCP’s control and its vision for the modern Chinese state into every aspect of religious life by forcing groups from the five officially recognized religions to conform their beliefs, activities, expression, attire, leadership, language, houses of worship, and more to CCP ideology,” the report concluded. It later added, “Enforcement of such sinicization policies has consistently resulted in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom and related human rights, including genocide, crimes against humanity, mass incarceration, enforced disappearances, and the destruction of cultural and religious heritage.” The report also noted the mistreatment of Uyghur Muslims, who have been forced into reeducation camps to renounce their language and culture.

Anonymous Christians told The Telegraph that such interferences intensified in 2018. The state particularly restricts any activities aimed at children. “If the authorities discover you have any kids’ or ‘next generation’ activities related to religion, they have to take action,” said one Chinese Christian. Wu Lixin, a Christian who fled China for the United States in 2023, described the type of invasive measures the government takes to identify believers. “They used facial recognition to identify and harass congregants, threatening their jobs and families to stop them from attending meetings,” said Wu. “Due to this persecution, many congregants were forced to leave China. Our church has relocated four or five times, moving frequently due to police interference. Many former brothers in the church no longer dare to believe.”