China – Fujian – Longtian, Fuqing – Christians – Catholics

Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: CHN32442 Country: China Date: 16 October 2007

Keywords: China – Fujian – Longtian, Fuqing – Christians – Catholics – Underground churches

This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the primary source material contained herein.

Question

Please provide information as to how underground church members (Protestant and Catholic) are treated in Longtian Town, Fuqing Province, PRC.

RESPONSE

Please provide information as to how underground church members (Protestant and Catholic) are treated in Longtian Town, Fuqing Province, PRC.

Longtian town (龙田镇) is located in Fuqing City (福清市)1 in Fujian province. (‘Fuzhou City Communications and Tourist Map’ (undated) Fujiankids website http://www.fujiankids.org/swis/fuzcity/fuzmap.shtml – Accessed 20 December 2002 – Attachment 1). Longtian is a “township” (镇 zhen) which is a sub-county division which may contain a number of villages and rural areas as well as the main town, in the manner of a small, densely populated Australian “shire”. Confusingly, there is also another town called Longtian about 35km to the north, but it is in Changle County (See RRT Research Response CHN31482 for information about the other Longtian).

1 Fuqing City (福清市) is a “county-level city” of Fuzhou City (which is a “prefecture-level city”) in Fujian, China. County-level cities (县级市 xiànjíshì) are, like prefecture-level cities, not “cities” in the traditional sense of the word, since they are actually large administrative regions that cover both urban and rural areas. Fuqing City has a population of over one million (estimates vary from 1.1 to 1.3 million) and occupies an area of 2429.76 sq. km.

In the map below, Longtian is shown with a red flag, Fuqing with a blue pin, and Fuzhou, the provincial capital is also shown at the top of the map.

Reports of Christians in Longtian, Fuqing

Very little information was found on the existence of Christians in Longtian, and nothing specific of their treatment. More information is available on the situation of Christians in Fuqing City generally – see the next section.

In relation to Longtian, the Guide to the Catholic Church in China 2004 notes there is a Catholic “Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” in Longtian (Charbonnier, Jean 2004, Guide to the Catholic Church in China 2004, China Catholic Communication, Singapore, p.649 – Attachment 2).

In 2000, the Political Counsellor of the Canadian Embassy, Beijing who made a fact-finding mission to the Fuzhou Metropolitan Counties of Lianjiang, Mawei, Fuqing, and Changle noted that he met “Protestant Ministers at former Anglican Church in Longtian Town, Fuqing” (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2000, CHN34099.E ‘China: Report of a fact finding mission to Fuzhou by political counsellor, Canadian Embassy, Beijing”, 23 March, POINT.6ii – Attachment 3).

No other reports were found in the English sources consulted mentioning Christians in Longtian in Fuqing.

It should be noted that there appear to be a number of Chinese language reports mentioning Christians in Longtian – a Google search for the words Longtian, Fuqing and Christian Church (“龙田镇” “福清” “教会”) produced 250 hits, but many of these mention Christians and Longtian in unrelated sections. Most of the reports appear to relate to a “True Jesus Church” in Longtian village. Unfortunately the Research & Information Services section does not currently have any fluent Chinese speakers to fully assess these reports, but one Chinese report is attached with which a Chinese speaker at the Tribunal or hearing may be able to assist the Member. (‘中國福清龍田教會歷史沿革’ (‘China Fuqing Longtian Village Church History’) (undated), http://www.tjc.or.jp/tjc.china/bbs/Topic.aspx?BoardID=6&TopicID=920 – Accessed 16 October 2007 – Attachment 4) This report mentions the construction of a church in Longtian after 1994.

A past research response gives a profile of the True Jesus Church in Fujian (RRT Country Research 2005, Research Response CHN17352, 7 June – Attachment 5).

Reports of Christians in Fuqing and Fujian

Sources indicate that there are many small churches throughout rural China, particularly in Fuqing. Tony Lambert estimates that in Fuqing City, there are 350,000 Christians with 520 churches and “many” meeting points. (Lambert, Tony 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford, p.241 – Attachment 6). Lambert continues:

After Wenzhou, it [Fuqing] is the area with the second greatest number of churches in the whole country, and has been dubbed “China’s Second Jerusalem”. About 26 per cent of the population are Christian. (pp.240-1) …In nearby Fuqing County as early as 1981 it was reported there were 70,000 Christians, of whom 30,000 adhered to the Little Flock. (p.64)

He also gives this information about Fujian province generally:

Fujian has a thriving and rapidly growing Christian community. … Official estimates of Protestant Christians in 2004 were 1,179,000 – a twelve-fold growth after fifty-five years of Communism. In early 1999 a TPSM spokesman stated there were 4,000 registered churches and meeting points. (p.240)

…The “Little Flock” or “Assemblies” were started by Watchman Nee in the 1930s and are still strong in Fujian, especially in the Fuzhou and Fuqing areas where they number many thousands. Many of them prefer to have no links with the TPSM …The “True Jesus Church”, another indigenous church is also strong in the province with some 70,000 members in total. …There are about 210,00 Catholics in Fujian. In general, the official religious policy has been applied relatively liberally in Fujian, although there have been occasional crackdowns on house churches and “underground” Catholics. (p.241)

A 2002 research response on the situation of Protestant Christians in Fujian is attached (RRT Country Research 2002, Research Response CHN15645, 23 December – Attachment 7). While this is a little dated, it is the last comprehensive research on Protestants in Fujian. For more current information on the situation of unregistered Christian groups in China, see:

• U.S. Department of State, 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2006 ‘China’, 15 September – Not attached.

• Lambert, Tony 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford, Chapter 5 on the House Church Movement and pp.240-1 on Fujian – Attachment 8. • Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2005, CHN100387.E – China: Situation of Protestants and treatment by authorities, particularly in Fujian and Guangdong (2001-2005), 1 September – Attachment 9.

• DIMIA Country Information Service 2006, Country Information Report No.06/42 – China: Failed asylum seeker return decision, (sourced from DFAT advice of 7 August 2006), 25 August – Attachment 10. This is the most recent DFAT information on treatment of underground Christian church groups and their members/leaders, although most comments concern Hubei and Henan Provinces.

Also of interest is the attached information on house churches in China prepared by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in 2007:

• Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2007, CHN102492.E – China: Reports of raids on Protestant house churches; frequency and location of raids (2005 – 2007), 22 June – Attachment 11.

• Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2007, CHN102491.E – China: Treatment of “ordinary” Christian house church members by the Public Security Bureau (PSB) (2005 – 2007), 13 June http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/rir/index_e.htm?action=record.viewrec&gotorec=451316 – Accessed 21 September 2007 – Attachment 12.

• Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2007, CHN102493.E – China: Whether a person detained at an underground church meeting would have his or her name placed in the Public Security Bureau (PSB) database, 8 May http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/rir/index_e.htm?action=record.viewrec&gotorec=451178 – Accessed 22 August 2007 – Attachment 13.

• Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2007, CHN102494.E – Chinese Communist Party first as opposed to God or Jesus; differences between the Chinese Patriotic Church and the unregistered Christian churches, 27 April http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/rir/index_e.htm?action=record.viewrec&gotorec=451150 – Accessed 21 September 2007 – Attachment 14.

In 2000, the Political Counsellor of the Canadian Embassy, Beijing made a fact-finding mission to the Fuzhou Metropolitan Counties of Lianjiang, Mawei, Fuqing, and Changle to examine issues including religious freedom there. A report of this visit is attached (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2000, CHN34099.E ‘China: Report of a fact finding mission to Fuzhou by political counsellor, Canadian Embassy, Beijing”, 23 March, POINT.6ii – Attachment 3). On religious freedom the report states:

There is a high degree of religious tolerance in this part of China. In Changle county only 10 of 80 Catholic parishes are affiliated with the state sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA). The other 70 remaining loyal to Rome are technically illegal and therefore “underground churches,” but reportedly these congregations are not harassed by the local authorities at present. Reports of the recent arrest of Yang Shudao, Archbishop of the Fuzhou Archdiocese, who has consistently refused to cooperate with the CPA, is a cause for concern. Archbishop Yang has served close to 30 years in detention in China since his first arrest in 1955. However his arrests have not directly impacted on the activities of local congregations in the four rural counties which are the subject of this report. In recent years Catholics there have been allowed to profess their faith in accordance with their own consciences. There is no indication that this is about to change. Nevertheless, the Embassy will continue to monitor the situation closely. Various forms of Protestant religious expression thrive in metro Fuzhou. The numbers of faithful grow rapidly year by year. There is much evidence of construction of new churches to meet the increasing demand for places of worship. Diversity of religious expression seems more extensive here than in other parts of China, including the indigenous “Little Flock” sect and Seventh Day Adventists Seventh Day Adventist church visited on request of Political Counsellor after spotting it from the car while travelling in Fuqing County is shown at right We were apprised of “an extreme antiCommunist” Christian sect “the Huhan” faction that was declared illegal and suppressed in the 1980s, but this group is evidently very small and largely inactive now. (pt.3ii) … Civil Affairs: Questioning ensued on measures to address “illegal” associations. … Over half of the places of religious worship in the area are “as yet” unregistered (photo shows discussion with Protestant Ministers at former Anglican Church in Longtian Town, Fuqing County re: status of unregistered “meeting places” in local villages that are affiliated with this church that receives an average of 1,200 worshippers every Sunday. This discussion was videotaped [the sole incidence of this intrusion], but the presence of the camera did not seem to inhibit the frankness of discussion. The stop at this Church was at my request and clearly not anticipated in advance). This situation does not seem to trouble the local authorities. In other parts of China congregations at unregistered places of worship are periodically subject to police harassment on direction of the local bureaux for Civil Affairs. No indication that this has been the case in the four counties visited was found. Extensive interviews with Christians throughout the visit suggested that relations with local authorities have been consistently nonconfrontational in recent years. These four counties have a high percentage of Christian faithful compared with other parts of Fujian, a legacy of a strong presence of British and American Christian missionaries operating out of Fuzhou in the preCommunist period. It is interesting that such these counties, whose main distinction from others nearby is their “Christianess,” are the source of irregular immigration to Canada. (pt.6ii) … Several churches were visited in all four counties many of these spontaneous visits at Political Counsellor’s request (“please stop the car here, I’m going in”). In all of these churches, local Christians and ministers were engaged in private discussions. Officials responsible for Religious Affairs were interviewed in three of the four counties, the exception being Mawei (at right: massive new Protestant Cathedral with seating for 1,600 in downtown Changle built in 1997 located walking distance from 1904 church of comparable size currently still in use and under renovation). As with the birth control policy, Central policy inhibiting freedom of religious expression does not appear to be much followed here. Discussions with Ministers confirmed that forms of worship variant from the form of post denominational Protestant service endorsed by the state supported China Christian Council and Protestant Three Self Movement are tolerated here (as they are not in other parts of the country). Most of the Catholic churches have not affiliated with the Catholic Patriotic Association and remain loyal to Rome. These Catholic churches are not able to be registered. On questioning local officials indicated that “we try to convince them to affiliate with the CPA, but if they won’t, there is nothing we can do” an encouragingly enlightened attitude. (pt.6iii)

List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources:

Government Information & Reports Immigration & Refugee Board of Canada http://www.irb.gc.ca/ UK Home Office http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk US Department of State http://www.state.gov/ US Department of State website http://www.state.gov United States Commission On International Religious Freedom – China page http://www.uscirf.gov/countries/region/east_asia/china/china.html United Nations (UN) UNHCR http://www.unhchr.ch/ Non-Government Organisations Amnesty International website http://www.amnesty.org/ Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/ Topic Specific Links Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) http://www.aidtochurch.org/ AsiaNews.It http://www.asianews.it/ Catholic news service about the Church in China Cardinal Kung Foundation http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/ CatholicCitizens.Org http://www.catholiccitizens.org/search/default.asp?query=china China Aid Association http://www.chinaaid.org/english_site/index.php Christian Solidarity Worldwide http://www.csw.org.uk/ Forum 18 http://www.forum18.org/Analyses.php?region=3 Holy Spirit Study Centre, Hong Kong http://www.hsstudyc.org.hk/ International Christian Concern http://www.persecution.org/suffering/countrynewssumm.php?country=China MonitorChina.Org http://www.monitorchina.org/chinese_site/index.php Zenit News Agency http://www.zenit.org/english/ –

Search Engines Google search engine http://www.google.com.au/

Databases: FACTIVA (news database) BACIS (DIMA Country Information database) REFINFO (IRBDC (Canada) Country Information database) ISYS (RRT Country Research database, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, US Department of State Reports) RRT Library Catalogue

List of Attachments

1. ‘Fuzhou City Communications and Tourist Map’ (undated) Fujiankids website (http://www.fujiankids.org/swis/fuzcity/fuzmap.shtml and http://www.fujiankids.org/swis/fuzcity/prefectl.jpg) – Accessed 20 December 2002.

2. Charbonnier, Jean 2004, Guide to the Catholic Church in China 2004, China Catholic Communication Singapore, p.649. (RRT LIBRARY)

3. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2000, CHN34099.E ‘China: Report of a fact finding mission to Fuzhou by political counsellor, Canadian Embassy, Beijing”, 23 March. (REFINFO). 4. ‘中國福清龍田教會歷史沿革’ (‘China Fuqing Longtian Village Church History’) (undated), http://www.tjc.or.jp/tjc.china/bbs/Topic.aspx?BoardID=6&TopicID=920 – Accessed 16 October 2007.

5. RRT Country Research 2005, Research Response CHN17352, 7 June.

6. Lambert, Tony 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford, p.241. (RRT LIBRARY 275.0951 LAM)

7. RRT Country Research 2002, Research Response CHN15645, 23 December.

8. Lambert, Tony 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford, pp.241. (RRT LIBRARY 275.0951 LAM)

9. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2005, CHN100387.E – China: Situation of Protestants and treatment by authorities, particularly in Fujian and Guangdong (2001- 2005), 1 September. (REFINFO)

10. DIMIA Country Information Service 2006, Country Information Report No.06/42 – China: Failed asylum seeker return decision, (sourced from DFAT advice of 7 August 2006), 25 August. (CISNET ‘China’ CX160293).

11. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2007, CHN102492.E – China: Reports of raids on Protestant house churches; frequency and location of raids (2005 – 2007), 22 June.

12. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2007, CHN102491.E – China: Treatment of “ordinary” Christian house church members by the Public Security Bureau (PSB) (2005 – 2007), 13 June http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/rir/index_e.htm?action=record.viewrec&gotorec=451316 – Accessed 21 September 2007.

13. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2007, CHN102493.E – China: Whether a person detained at an underground church meeting would have his or her name placed in the Public Security Bureau (PSB) database, 8 May http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/rir/index_e.htm?action=record.viewrec&gotorec=451178 – Accessed 22 August 2007.

14. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2007, CHN102494.E – Chinese Communist Party first as opposed to God or Jesus; differences between the Chinese Patriotic Church and the unregistered Christian churches, 27 April http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/rir/index_e.htm?action=record.viewrec&gotorec=451150 – Accessed 21 September 2007.