China, East Asia
Population: 1,321,851,888
Christians: 7-8%
Dominant Religion: Non-Religious
Persecution Ranking: 13th
Political Leader: President Hu Jintao
Religious Freedom in Constitution: Yes
During the 1950s, the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) strongly pressured Chinese churches to follow the concept of 'Three Self' (self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating) which had been developed earlier by Protestant missionaries and Chinese church leaders. However, 'Three Self' as advocated by the CCP and its supporters within the churches merely replaced dominance by Western missions with dominance by the CCP. In 1958 most Protestant churches were closed under the pretence of unification under the 'Three Self' banner, and the government-controlled Three Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) was set up. All Protestant churches were required to register with this movement. Simultaneously, the Roman Catholic Church was attacked for its continued loyalty to Rome. The Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA) was formed and bishops ordained without Papal permission. Loyal Catholics went underground, and many bishops were imprisoned for over two decades for their refusal to accept a Communist-controlled church. Protestants, particularly evangelicals, suffered in a similar way for their beliefs. In the last few years, there have been increasing crackdowns by the Chinese authorities against Christians. There have also been numerous arrests in recent months of Christians involved in unregistered house churches.
