Country Advice China – CHN35950 – Province – Fuqing City – Catholics – Underground Catholic Churches

11 January 2010

1 Please provide the most recent information available regarding the treatment of unofficial Catholics in Fujian Province, particularly in and around Fuqing City.

The 2009 US Department of State International Religious Freedom report and the 2009 annual reports of the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, all indicate that underground Catholics suffer discrimination and mistreatment in China generally; however, none of these reports provide any specific information regarding Fujian Province or Fuqing City. The 2009 US Department of State International Religious Freedom report outlines government repression of the religious activities of the underground Roman Catholic Church, including punishment by local authorities of members of unregistered religious groups. ‘Re-education through Labour’ camps were used to detain members of unregistered religious groups, who were also subject to “threats, demolition of unregistered property, extortion, interrogation, detention, physical attacks, and torture”. In some unspecified locations, unregistered Catholic priests and followers were reportedly forced “to renounce ordinations approved by the Holy See, join the official church, or face a variety of punishments”.1 The US Congressional-Executive Commission on China’s annual report for 2009 similarly claims that “unregistered bishops, priests, and lay Catholics in China” experienced “ongoing harassment and detention”. Unregistered Catholics continued to be characterised by the authorities “as a threat to “social stability””, and as such, security officials were called upon “to “strike against” and “transform” unregistered communities”.2 In addition, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom 2009 annual report states that “[i]n the past year, harassment and detention of Catholics in China, especially unregistered bishops and priests, continued”.3 However, a 2008 report prepared by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) Country Research Section provides specific information on underground Catholics in Fujian Province, indicating in particular that religious policies in Fujian are relatively liberal compared to the rest of China, and that underground churches in Fujian are reportedly not harassed by local authorities. The report cites the Executive Secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council, who advises that “[i]n cases where arrests have

1 US Department of State 2009, International Religious Freedom Report for 2009 – China (includes Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau), 26 October, Introduction, Section II – Attachment 2 2 US Congressional-Executive Commission on China 2009, Annual Report 2009, 10 October, pp. 110, 116, 118 – Attachment 3 3 US Commission on International Religious Freedom 2009, ‘China’, Annual Report 2009, May, p. 77 – Attachment 4 been made in Fujian…[it is] groups such as the “Shouters” and the Eastern Lightning, which…have been targeted”: In general, while there have been occasional crackdowns on autonomous Protestant communities and clandestine Catholics; over the last ten years external agency reports have consistently agreed on the relatively liberal application of religious policy by authorities in Fujian. For example, a fact-finding mission to in 2000 by the Counsellor from the Canadian Embassy in commented on Fujian’s high degree of religious tolerance… …Meanwhile a report by the Executive Secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council asserts that Fujian enjoys “the most liberal policy on religious freedom in China,” especially in relation to Christianity: In his travels, the Executive Secretary has met with local authorities who, he said, usually tolerate activities of unregistered Christian groups. 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 outside China. The Executive Secretary stated that he is aware of a number of unregistered churches that have been allowed to function for years. The Executive Secretary noted that reports had been received of a few arrests of Catholic priests in the years 2003 to 2005, but overall most Christians in Fujian – Protestant and Catholic – were able to practise their faith according to their conscience.4 A 2005 report by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada also highlights the relatively liberal policies on religious freedom in Fujian, similarly citing the Hong Kong Christian Council; however also provides some dated instances of mistreatment of unregistered Catholics in Fujian.5 A research response dated 16 October 2007 also provides some information on the treatment of underground Catholics in Fujian Province6, similarly citing a book on Christians in China which indicates that “the official religious policy has been applied relatively liberally in Fujian, although there have been occasional crackdowns on house churches and “underground” Catholics”.7 A 2006 research response provides information which indicates that underground Catholic churches in Fujian have been the subject of crackdowns, and although Fujian is regarded as more liberal than the rest of the country in terms of religious regulations, there has in recent times been an increase in restrictions.8 A number of other research responses from 20059 10 and 200711 also discuss the treatment of Catholic members of underground churches in Fuqing and Fujian. In addition, a 2008 report by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada outlines several instances of discrimination against children of members of underground Christian churches; however, it does not provide any specific information regarding Fujian Province or Fuqing

4 Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) Country Research Section 2008, China’s Protestants and Catholics, November, pp. 39-41 – Attachment 5 5 Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2005, CHN100386.E – China: Situation of Catholics and treatment by authorities, particularly in Fujian and Guangdong (2001-2005), 1 September – Attachment 6 6 RRT Research & Information 2007, Research Response CHN32442, 16 October – Attachment 7 7 Lambert, T. 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford, p. 241 – Attachment 8 8 RRT Country Research 2006, Research Response CHN30274, 16 June – Attachment 9 9 RRT Country Research 2005, Research Response CHN17603, 21 October – Attachment 10 10 RRT Country Research 2005, Research Response CHN17483, 29 August – Attachment 11 11 RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response CHN31217, 18 January – Attachment 12 City.12 The treatment of family members of underground Christians in China is also provided in a previous research response dated 2 July 2009.13

List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources: Government Information & Reports US Department of State website http://www.state.gov UK Home Office http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/ Non-Government Organisations Amnesty International website http://www.amnesty.org/ Human Rights Watch (HRW) website http://www.hrw.org/ UNHCR Refworld website http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/ Search Engines Google http://www.google.com.au/

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

List of Attachments

1. Deleted. 2. US Department of State 2009, International Religious Freedom Report for 2009 – China (includes Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau), 26 October. 3. US Congressional-Executive Commission on China 2009, Annual Report 2009, 10 October. 4. US Commission on International Religious Freedom 2009, ‘China’, Annual Report 2009, May. 5. Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) Country Research Section 2008, China’s Protestants and Catholics, November. (CISNET: CIS ‘CIS Resources, Issues Briefs’ China CHN251108) 6. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2005, CHN100386.E – China: Situation of Catholics and treatment by authorities, particularly in Fujian and Guangdong (2001- 2005), 1 September. (REFINFO) 7. RRT Research & Information 2007, Research Response CHN32442, 16 October. 8. Lambert, T. 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford. (RRT LIBRARY 275.0951 LAM) 9. RRT Country Research 2006, Research Response CHN30274, 16 June.

12 Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2008, CHN102868 – China: Treatment of children of members of underground Christian churches; whether children of members of underground Christian churches are subject to sanctions, including reduced access to education and to health care, 26 June – Attachment 13 13 RRT Research & Information 2009, Research Response CHN35147, 2 July – Attachment 14 10. RRT Country Research 2005, Research Response CHN17603, 21 October. 11. RRT Country Research 2005, Research Response CHN17483, 29 August. 12. RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response CHN31217, 18 January. 13. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2008, CHN102868 – China: Treatment of children of members of underground Christian churches; whether children of members of underground Christian churches are subject to sanctions, including reduced access to education and to health care, 26 June. (REFINFO) 14. RRT Research & Information 2009, Research Response CHN35147, 2 July.