President Xi Jinping called for religions in China to “accelerate” their adaptation to Chinese characteristics
Newsroom (30/09/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a pointed address to the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo on September 29, President Xi Jinping called for religions in China to “accelerate” their adaptation to Chinese characteristics, framing it as essential for national stability and socialist alignment. The directive, delivered during a special study session on religious policy, underscores Beijing’s ongoing efforts to subordinate faith communities to state ideology, amid documented reports of widespread persecution targeting Christians and other religious minorities.
Xi’s remarks, reported by state media outlet Xinhua, emphasized the need for religious doctrines, rules, management systems, rituals, customs, and behavioral norms to embody “Chinese characteristics” and evolve “to the needs of the times.” He advocated for “strict enforcement” of regulations and the bolstering of policy directives, positioning religions as tools for promoting ethnic harmony, social stability, and “Chinese-style modernization.”
“As history and practice show, only by continuously promoting the Sinicization of religion in China can we foster the gentleness of religion, ethnic harmony, social harmony and long-term national stability,” Xi stated. He further stressed that, under Communist Party leadership, religions must adapt to socialist society, urging religious leaders and believers to strengthen the “five identities”: alignment with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party, and socialism with Chinese characteristics.
This vision of Sinicization extends beyond cultural translation, effectively treating religions as extensions of state machinery. The five officially recognized faiths—Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism—are subject to rigorous oversight, with unauthorized groups facing severe crackdowns.
Heightened Persecution of Christians Under Sinicisation Policies
Xi’s push for accelerated Sinicization comes against a backdrop of intensified restrictions on Christians. In one stark example, in March 2024, authorities in China ordered a church to remove its crosses under the guise of “safety” concerns, a tactic critics say masks ideological control. This incident reflects a broader pattern where religious symbols are systematically erased to align with Communist Party aesthetics and authority.
Further illustrating the clampdown, Chinese government imposed a sweeping ban on online religious activities, prohibiting clergy from conducting services or sharing faith content digitally without state approval. This move, part of a new code of conduct, has effectively silenced virtual communities and isolated believers, exacerbating feelings of oppression.
The persecution has disproportionately affected Catholic leaders, with several high-profile detentions. In February 2023, Gaudium Press covered the fourth imprisonment of Bishop Shao Zhumin of Wenzhou by Communist authorities, despite no formal charges in some cases. Similarly, a May 2022 report detailed Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu of Xinxiang marking one year in detention without charges, highlighting arbitrary arrests as a tool to enforce compliance.
Even cross-border ties have drawn scrutiny. A September 2023 profile by Gaudium Press on Bishop Tegusbilig, a persecuted Chinese-Mongolian Catholic leader, underscored how Beijing’s policies extend to ethnic minorities, with bishops facing harassment for maintaining international connections. Additionally, in September 2022, Cardinal Gerhard Müller criticized Vatican diplomacy, warning that it might “sacrifice” figures like Hong Kong’s Cardinal Joseph Zen to preserve agreements with China.
Implications for Catholic Unity and Vatican Relations
Xi’s directive also casts a shadow over the Catholic Church’s efforts toward unity in China, where underground and state-sanctioned communities remain divided. In a recent interview, Pope Leo XIV addressed these tensions, noting his engagements with diverse stakeholders to navigate cultural and political challenges. He emphasized respecting “a significant group of Chinese Catholics who for many years have experienced some form of oppression or difficulty in living their faith freely.”
As Party committees are instructed to form dedicated teams for religious oversight, analysts warn that Sinicization could further erode religious freedoms. While Beijing frames these policies as promoting harmony, the documented cases of persecution suggest a strategy of assimilation that prioritizes ideological conformity over spiritual autonomy.
This development follows similar controls in other sectors, such as the recent regulatory actions against Buddhist institutions like the Shaolin monastery, where the abbot’s abrupt removal signaled the perils of non-compliance.
International observers, including human rights groups, continue to monitor the situation, calling for global pressure to safeguard religious rights in China. As of September 30, 2025, no immediate response from the Vatican or other religious bodies has been announced regarding Xi’s latest pronouncements.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Asianews.it
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