"All of the happy fruits (in China) could not be separated from the 5,000-year Chinese tradition that values harmony and forgiveness as the most precious, as well as the policy of separation between politics and religion and freedom of belief," he said.

Fu, chairman of the China Catholicism Association, is heading the visiting Chinese religious leaders delegation to attend the Millenium World Peace Summit of religious and spiritual leaders, which is to be held in the United Nations headquarters later this month.

It is provided for by law that Chinese citizens may freely choose and express their religious beliefs and make clear their religious affiliations, Fu told the meeting of 100 religious leaders in California and scholars.

According to the Bishop, there are more than 100 million religious followers in China, more than 85,000 places of worship and 3,000 religious communities with 30,000 clergy to serve spiritual needs of their followers.

Of the top five religions, Buddhism, the most influential, has a history of 2,000 years in China. Taoism, native to the country, has a history of more than 1,700 years. Islam was introduced to China in the seventh century. Catholicism and Protestantism boomed in China with the humiliating Opium War in the 1840s, but they still have 4 million and 10 million followers in China today.

"Religious organizations in China run their own affairs independently and set up religious schools, publish religious classics and periodicals and run social services according to their will," he said.

"All clerical and worshipping activities conducted in accordance with law, in public or at home, such as worshipping the Buddha, reciting scriptures, going to church, praying, preaching, observing Mass, baptizing, monkhood initiation, fasting celebrating religious festivals, are not be interfered with by outsiders," said the Bishop.

He said that all religions are equal in status in China and religious wars, which have plagued many parts of the world, are unknown in China.

"Religious believers and non-believers respect each other, are united and have a harmonious relationship," he claimed.

The Chinese religions are also getting themselves involved in participating in politics, just as other members of the society, he said.

Incomplete statistics show that 17,000 Catholics are members of their local government political consultative conference and people's congresses.

With suggestions and proposals absorbed into national or local laws and policies, Chinese religious groups are becoming an active element in the society, he said.

At present, religious believers are increasing dramatically, for instance, the number of new Protestants today is 10 times more than that in 1949, the Bishop said.

(People's Daily)