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Religion

Bishop Fu Tieshan, chairman of the Patriotic Association of the Catholic Church in China and head of the delegation, delivered a speech in which he called for the religious circles of various countries to uphold the peace banner, safeguard the purity of religion, advocate religious tolerance and reconciliation, and create an environment for harmonious coexistence.

He said that, in China today, different religions living in harmony and amity with one another is a reality and practice. The freedom of religious belief has long been prescribed in China's Constitution. Under the protection of the Constitution and the law, religious believers enjoy to the full the freedom of religious belief and the five major religions are in a new period living in harmony and amity with one another. Different religions are equal in status and respect each other. They independently conduct religious services, run religious colleges, cultivate young clergy, publish religious publications, print religious classics and expand foreign exchanges. It is a "golden age" for the country’s religious circles.

He said that, over the past decade, the Chinese Catholic Church had cultivated and consecrated more than 900 priests. Every Sunday, Chongwenmen Protestant Church in Beijing receives around 3,000 worshippers, and Wangfujing Cathedral on Beijing's busiest street has been put into use after reconstruction.

Han Wenzao, president of the China Christian Council, said that, in the year 2000, the total print run of The Bible exceeded 25 million copies in China. Cao Shengjie, Council vice-president, said that China's religions are trying to adapt to and participate in society, while winning wide social recognition. The environment for religious development has become increasingly good.

This delegation, comprising leaders of China's national religious bodies, attended the UN Millenium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders and visited the United States, conducted wide-range contacts and exchanges with the religious circles of the United States and other countries, and raised the proposal of the Chinese religious circles on maintaining world peace. The visit itself was a true portrayal of the freedom of religious belief in China.

On October 1, 2000, the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, disregarding the strong opposition of the Chinese Government and the Chinese Catholic Church, conferred the title of "Saint" on 120 foreign missionaries and Chinese followers "who incurred death in China". The spokesperson of the State Administration of Religious Affairs said the ceremony was a serious incident confronting the 1.2 billion Chinese people because these foreign missionaries and their followers had committed hideous crimes in China.

The spokesperson said that in conferring the title of "Saint" on the missionaries and their followers who had committed monstrous crimes against the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, the Vatican severely distorted history, prettified colonialists and invaders, and vilified the rightful patriotic actions of the Chinese people fighting against invasion and safeguarding State sovereignty. The move greatly wounded the feelings of the Chinese people and the dignity of the Chinese nation. All the Chinese people, including Chinese Catholics, would never accept it.

The Patriotic Association of the Catholic Church in China and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College made a solemn statement, pointing out that the Vatican action was completely against relevant rules and procedures of the Catholic Church. It was actually a distortion of history under the pretext of conferring the title of "Saint", and an attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of China by religious means. That was a challenge not only to the Chinese Government but also to the conscience of the 4 million Chinese Catholics as well as the feelings of the 1.2 billion Chinese people.

The statement issued by the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee of the Protestant Churches of China and the China Christian Council pointed out that the Roman Catholic Church had long deliberated the conferring of the title "Saint" on the foreign missionaries and their followers who had been punished because of their wickedness during the just struggle of the Chinese people against imperialist invasion. This was a glaring disregard of the rights of the Chinese Church and a provocation hurting the feelings of the Chinese people. The Chinese people, including all patriotic Christians, would absolutely deny the decision.

The Buddhist Association of China, the Islamic Association of China and the China Taoist Association held forums to condemn the attempt of Vatican to use religion to interfere in China's internal affairs. They expressed support to the patriotic action of the Chinese Catholic Church.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a solemn statement. It pointed out that Vatican, disregarding the strong opposition of the Chinese people, including Catholics, was stubborn in its perverse act of conferring the title of "Saint," which had greatly wounded the Chinese national pride. It was a severe provocation to the 1.2 billion Chinese, a distortion of history and an interference with China's internal affairs by religious means. China is willing to establish normal and friendly bilateral relations with all countries in the world based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence (mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty; mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence). But China will never barter away principles or sovereignty. Nobody should expect China to swallow the bitter pill that harms the national interests and national dignity.

The year 2000 marked the 50th anniversary of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches of China. On September 23, the celebration, presided over by Luo Guanzong, chairman of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee of the Protestant Churches, was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. At the celebration, Han Wenzao, president of the China Christian Council, read out “Love the Country and Love Religion, Let's Advance into the New Century with One Heart: Summary of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches over the Last Five Decades”.

Wang Zhaoguo, vice-chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a speech at the conference. He said that 50 years before, the patriotic personages of Chinese Protestant Churches represented by Wu Yaozong launched the reform campaign oriented toward self-administration, self-support and self-propagation. That was a significant step for Chinese Protestants to adapt themselves to the great changes in Chinese society, completely get rid of the imperialist control and influence, and advance on the road of loving both the country and religion. For 50 years, Chinese Protestants have adhered to the three-self patriotism as well as the principles of independence and self-governance. It has made great contributions to the country in maintaining social stability and promoting economic and social development by advocating the love for the country and religion, unity and progress. Thanks to all these efforts, the Chinese Protestantism has become a religious undertaking run by Chinese believers.

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