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Home , China Christian Council, Fujian, Lianjiang County, Pingtan County, Watchman Nee

Refugee Review Tribunal

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: CHN32261 Country: Date: 27 August 2007.

Keywords: China – – – Christians

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.

Questions

1. Please provide information on Christians in Huangqi Town and Fengcheng Town of Lianjiang County in Fujian and their treatment by the authorities. 2. Please provide information on Huangqi Broadcasting & TV Co (may be called Lianjiang Broadcasting & TV Co).

RESPONSE

1. Please provide information on Christians in Huangqi Town and Fengcheng Town of Lianjiang County in Fujian and their treatment by the authorities.

[This response includes an overview of the situation of Christians in Fujian at 1.2]

Lianjiang (连江) is a county on the coast of Fujian Province, China, close to the provincial capital (administratively Lianjiang county is part of Fuzhou City). A map of the county is at Attachment 1. A short profile of the county from Wikipedia1 is attached (‘Lianjiang’ 2007, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lianjiang – Updated 22 May 2007 – Accessed 27 August 2007 – Attachment 2). According to the profile, the county population is 620,000.

The Applicant is from Fengcheng Town. Fengcheng Town (凤城镇), which is also called Lianjiang Town on some maps2, is the main town in the county. Fengcheng Town as an

1 Users should be aware that Wikipedia is a Web-based free-content encylopaedia which is written collaboratively by volunteers. The Research Service recommends that users of Wikipedia familiarise themselves with the regulatory practices which Wikipedia employs as a preventative measure against vandalism, bias and inaccuracy. For more information, see the recommended background reading available in the Wikipedia Topical Information Package. 2 Many towns in Fujian province have two names. Some maps use one, some the other. administrative division would also include some rural villages close to the main town. Huangqi (黄岐镇) is a town at the end of a peninsula. Fuzhou, Fengcheng and Huangqi are shown on the map below (also at Attachment 3):

1.1 Christians in Lianjiang County (especially Huangqi Town, Fengcheng Town)

Very few reports were found of Christians in Huangqi Town, Fengcheng Town or Lianjiang County.

Tony Lambert, an expert on the Protestant community in China, in his book on in China (Lambert, Tony 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford – Attachment 4) estimates that there are 20,000 Christians with 27 churches and three (other) meeting points in Lianjiang County (p.241), but gives no other information about the situation in that county.

In 2000, the Political Counsellor of the Canadian Embassy, made a fact-finding mission to the Fuzhou Metropolitan Counties of Lianjiang, Mawei, , and Changle to examine issues including religious freedom there. A report of this visit is attached (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2000, Report of a fact finding mission to Fuzhou by political counsellor, Canadian Embassy, Beijing, 23 March – Attachment 5). 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. … 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. … 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 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.

The only report found in the sources consulted of any action against Christians in Lianjiang concerns a 2002 incident involving the underground Catholic Church. In July 2002, according to the Cardinal Kung Foundation, 31 underground Roman Catholics were arrested in Dong-An village, Guantou Township, Lianjiang County in Fujian Province:

Laypersons face severe persecution as well. In July 2002, 31 underground Roman Catholics, 26 of whom were students under the age of 18, were arrested during a summer vacation catechism class in a private home. The arrest occurred in Dong-An village, Guantou Township, Lianjiang County in Fujian Province. Among the 31 arrested were a Catholic nun, Sister Mei, 27 years of age, and four chaperons. The adults and students were all thrown into Lianjian County prison. The children and chaperons were released after one day. The status of Sister CHEN Mei is unknown. In May 2002, six Roman Catholics from , went to DongLu in Baoding, for a and were arrested by the authorities. They were fined a total of $3,850 for the “illegal pilgrimage.” (‘The Cardinal Kung Foundation’ (undated), The Cardinal Kung Foundation website. http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/index2.html#State%20Control – Accessed 13 December 2004 – Attachment 6)

Another report of this incident is attached (‘30 Catholics in southeastern China detained for underground services’ 2002, Agence France-Presse, 21 July – Attachment 7).

The China Study Journal reported that the “Huangzhi church in Lianjiang county” opened on 4 February 1998 (‘Churches opened’ 1999, China Study Journal, April – Attachment 8). “Huangzhi” might be a mistake for Huangqi as their pronunciation can be quite similar, but it could also be another place.

A picture of a large Christian Church at Lianjiang was found, but this gave no other details about the church (‘Chinese Christian Churches: Church 17 Christian Church at Lianjiang in Fujian Province’ (undated), Paul and Bernice Noll’s Chinese Christian Churches in Fujian Province webpage http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Church/China-Church-17.html – Accessed 27 August 2007 – Attachment 16).

No other reports of Christians in Lianjiang county were found in the sources consulted.

1.2 Christians In Fujian Province

Tony Lambert gives a short overview of Protestant churches in Fujian in his book on (Lambert, Tony 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford, pp. 240-1 – Attachment 4):

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 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, Q.2 – Attachment 9). While this is a little dated, it is the last comprehensive research on Protestants in Fujian.

The 2005 research response by the Canadian Immigration and Research Directorate surveys more recent information on Fujian:

Human Rights in China (HRIC) commented in 4 August 2005 correspondence to the Research Directorate that the treatment of Christians is poor in southern China, particularly in the rural areas, though the organization could not elaborate, citing a lack of available information. However, the executive secretary of the Christian Council commented that Fujian and have “the most liberal policy on , especially on Christianity” (Executive secretary 1 Sept. 2005a). In his travels, the executive secretary has met with local authorities who, said, usually tolerate activities of unregistered Christian groups (1 Sept. 2005a). While authorities are of a more tolerant nature in rural areas than in urban centres, they would usually take steps to discourage religious activity if it had a link to groups from outside China (Executive secretary 1 Sept. 2005a). The executive secretary stated that he is aware of a number of unregistered churches along with schools, fellowships and even missionaries that have been allowed to operate in the two for years (1 Sept. 2005a). As an example, he cited the case of Pastor ’s unregistered Damajan Church in , which he said has been allowed to hold meetings on a daily basis for 20 years without interference from authorities (1 Sept. 2005a). In cases where arrests have been made, the executive secretary pointed out that groups such as and the Eastern Lighting, which are considered “heretical” by many Christians, have been targeted (1 Sept. 2005a) (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 10).

Two older extended reports by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada are attached as they provide more detail on the situation for Christians in Fujian (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 1999, CHN33002.EX ‘China: Freedom of religious practice and belief in Fujian province’, 8 October – Attachment 11; Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2000, CHN33638.EX ‘China: Protestants and ; treatment of Protestants; relations between the registered Three Patriotic Self Movement (TPSM) churches and unregistered churches; differences between Protestant forms of worship in China and elsewhere; differences in practice between the TPSM churches and house churches; beliefs, practices, holidays and ceremonies; update to CHN33002.EX of 8 October 1999 regarding Christians in Fujian province’, 3 February – Attachment 12).

These provided some expert opinion on the situation for Christians in Fujian. The earlier report stated:

Sources indicate that there has been a widespread revival of religious activity in China in recent years (International Herald Tribune 23 July 1999; Time 4 Oct. 1999; ibid., 27 Sept. 1999). According to the Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 1999:

Overall in the years since the Cultural Revolution, when religion was banned, there has been a loosening of repression and a resurgence in religious activity. There are over 180 million religious adherents with a great variety of beliefs and practices, mostly professing Eastern faiths, but with millions adhering to Christianity as well (United States 9 Sept. 1999).

This revival extends to Fujian province which was described as being particularly vibrant and open with respect to religion by Dr. Daniel Overmyer, professor of Chinese Religion at the University of British Columbia who undertook field research in Fujian during visits between 1996 and 1998 (1 Oct. 1999). However, Dr. Overmyer cautioned that there would be local variations from this openness, dependent upon local officials and attitudes. Two other specialists, Dr. Michael Szonyi (22 Sept. 1999) and Mickey Spiegel (15 Sept. 1999) corroborated this. Dr Szonyi, of the history department at the University of Toronto, has researched popular religion in Fujian extensively and undertook field research in Fujian in the summer of 1999. Ms. Spiegel is a researcher-consultant who wrote the October 1997 Human Rights Watch report China: State Control of Religion, available at IRB Regional Documentation Centres. This sentiment is also echoed in the Australian CIS report “Government Attitudes to Christian Religious Activity” which cites the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), stating with respect to the underground and movement that:

No one has any real handle on the scope of (underground and house churches) ... nor the extent of its suppression, although it is reasonable to surmise that no general rule can be applied throughout China (28 May 1999).

Both Dr. Overmyer (1 Oct. 1999) and Dr. Szonyi (22 Sept. 1999) stated that religious activities at the local level were generally tolerated, even if they were unregistered, provided they kept a low profile and did not try to organize on too large a scale. Both professors also stated that household shrines would be permitted under most circumstances, again referring to the divergence represented by the attitudes of local officials. This was corroborated in part by Dr. John Lagerwey, Visiting Scholar, Institute of Chinese Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong, who referred to the status of religious freedom in Fujian as “a fluid situation” (2 Oct. 1999). Dr. Lagerwey offered the following general comments regarding the current state of religious freedoms in China:

The authorities in every town, county, prefecture and province differ in their attitudes and actions toward these problems but I think it is fair to say in a general way that, as long as a movement – house church or other – does not take a political turn, the authorities leave it alone. To understand a particular case of sudden repression, therefore, one must know in detail about local politics: something virtually impossible on the outside (ibid)

(Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 1999, CHN33002.EX ‘China: Freedom of religious practice and belief in Fujian province’, 8 October – Attachment 11)

The most recent annual report of the China Aid Association notes only one incident in Fujian in 2006 – the destruction of a church in in September 2006 (China Aid Association 2007, Annual Report on Persecution of Chinese House Churches by Province: From January 2006 to December 2006, January, p.12 http://chinaaid.org/wp- content/uploads/2007/04/2006_persecution_report.pdf – Accessed 12 June 2007 – Attachment 13).

The most recent US Department of State International Religious Freedom Report does not mention any incidents in Fujian. (US Department of State, 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2006 – China, 15 September – Not Attached).

For more current information on the situation of Protestants in China, see also: • 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 14;

• Lambert, Tony 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford, Chapter 5 on the House Church Movement – Attachment 4;

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

• 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 15. This is the most recent DFAT information on treatment of underground Christian church groups and their members/leaders and contains the following assessment:

Underground church groups are by and large tolerated by the authorities.

In occasional cases where an leader has come to the attention of the Chinese authorities, on return to China the authorities might take the person in for questioning. In rare cases the person might face further consequences (for example administrative or criminal detention), depending on the circumstances of the case. For example, a prominent leader of an underground church group which was known for proselytising might be more likely to face more serious consequences than an ordinary member of an underground church group.

Q2 Please provide information on Huangqi Broadcasting & TV Co (may be called Lianjiang Broadcasting & TV Co).

No information was found in the English language sources consulted on a Huangqi Broadcasting & TV Co or a Lianjiang Broadcasting & TV Co. Some basic searches were conducted in (limited by the very basic Chinese language skills of the researcher).

A Chinese language directory of broadcasters at http://www.88page.com/ypse/c120310/r350100/ lists the Lianjiang County Broadcast Television Station (连江县广播电视台). It gives the contact details at:

地址：福建省福州市连江县 凤城镇816北路63号 Address : No. 63, 816 North St, Fengcheng Town, Lianjiang Town, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. Zip code : 350500 Tel : 0591-26232256 Fax : 0591-26221104

Other Chinese language websites give information on this station, but a Chinese speaker will be needed for further information on these pages: • http://www.fzbtv.com/news/view.asp?NewsID=275&classID=5 (this has a slightly different address : No. 63, 816 Middle St, Fengcheng Town); • http://www.fzbtv.com/news/view.asp?NewsID=260&classID=6; • http://www.chaqy.cn/5310/5433/1949.htm (this says the company employs between 200 and 300 people).

The Chinese language pages are at Attachment 17.

List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources:

Region Specific Links http://www.persecution.org/suffering/countrynewssumm.php?country=China International Christian Concern also http://persecution.org/humanrights/china.html & http://www.persecution.org/suffering/countryinfodetail.php?countrycode=16 http://www.aidtochurch.org/ Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) http://www.chinaaid.org/english_site/index.php China Aid Association http://www.csw.org.uk/ Christian Solidarity Worldwide. http://www.hsstudyc.org.hk/ Holy Spirit Study Centre, Hong Kong http://www.monitorchina.org/chinese_site/index.php http://www.persecution.com.au/ Voice of the Martyrs (Australia) http://www.forum18.org/Analyses.php?region=3 Forum 18 reports on breaches of religious freedom around the world. http://www.china21.org/English/index.htm The Committee for the Investigation on Persecution of Religion in China http://www.religiousfreedom.com/ International Coalition for Religious Freedom. http://www.equip.org/ Christian Research Institute http://worthynews.com/persecution.htm Christian Persecution Page http://www.chinaforjesus.com/ – a site written by Mainland Chinese believers. http://www.freechurchforchina.org/ – Freechurchforchina.org 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 Nations (UN) UNHCR http://www.unhchr.ch/ 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, Section including of Lianjiang County.

2. ‘Lianjiang’ 2007, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lianjiang – Updated 22 May 2007 – Accessed 27 August 2007.

3. ‘Fengcheng’ Encarta Interactive Atlas. (CDROM)

4. Lambert, Tony 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford, Chapter 5 on the House Church Movement and pp.240-1 on Fujian. (RRT LIBRARY)

5. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2000, Report of a fact finding mission to Fuzhou by political counsellor, Canadian Embassy, Beijing, 23 March. (REFINFO)

6. ‘The Cardinal Kung Foundation’ (undated), The Cardinal Kung Foundation website. http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/index2.html#State%20Control – Accessed 13 December 2004

7. ‘30 Catholics in southeastern China detained for underground services’ 2002, Agence France-Presse, 21 July. (Factiva)

8. ‘Churches opened’ 1999, China Study Journal, April. (RRT LIBRARY).

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

10. 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 (http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/rir/index_e.htm?action=record.viewrec&gotorec=449522). (CISNET – REFINFO)

11. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 1999, CHN33002.EX ‘China: Freedom of religious practice and belief in Fujian province’, 8 October.

12. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2000, CHN33638.EX ‘China: Protestants and Protestantism in China; treatment of Protestants; relations between the registered Three Patriotic Self Movement (TPSM) churches and unregistered churches; differences between Protestant forms of worship in China and elsewhere; differences in practice between the TPSM churches and house churches; beliefs, practices, holidays and ceremonies; update to CHN33002.EX of 8 October 1999 regarding Christians in Fujian province’, 3 February.

13. China Aid Association 2007, Annual Report on Persecution of Chinese House Churches by Province: From January 2006 to December 2006, January http://chinaaid.org/wp- content/uploads/2007/04/2006_persecution_report.pdf – Accessed 12 June 2007.

14. 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. 15. 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)

16. ‘Chinese Christian Churches: Church 17 Christian Church at Lianjiang in Fujian Province’ (undated), Paul and Bernice Noll’s Chinese Christian Churches in Fujian Province webpage http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Church/China-Church-17.html – Accessed 27 August 2007.

17. Chinese language pages http://www.88page.com/ypse/c120310/r350100/, http://www.fzbtv.com/news/view.asp?NewsID=275&classID=5, http://www.fzbtv.com/news/view.asp?NewsID=260&classID=6 and http://www.chaqy.cn/5310/5433/1949.htm – Accessed 27 August 2007