Subj: China’s Paradox

CHINA’S PARADOX

Definition of paradox: A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true; conflicting with expectation.

China’s paradox is that increased openness goes hand in hand with increased oppression – the open palm with the clenched fist. China’s paradox is rooted in the tension that exists between democratic reform and the maintenance of ultimate power. In terms of religious liberty for the region (Communist Asia, which accounts for more than one fifth of the world’s population) and global mission, China is surely a most strategic nation, worthy of our most vigilant attention and prayers. This is ultimately a case of intense spiritual struggle.

In this posting we will look at the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’ s) moves towards internal party democracy and China’s recent, albeit token, recognition of its ancient Catholic heritage. We will then look at the critical situation facing imprisoned founder and leader of the South China Church, Pastor Gong Shengliang; the latest house church raids as reported by the China Aid Foundation; and the new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

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INTERNAL PARTY DEMOCRACY

On 6 August, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that since the new leadership under President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao took the helm in March, many academics are openly writing and publishing proposals on democracy and decentralising power.

The SCMP reports that Mr. Sun Zaifu, a high-ranking cadre, has openly urged the CCP to pursue democratic reform, embrace market forces, and curb endemic corruption. Mr. Sun, who is the deputy party secretary for Hunan province and a member of the CCP’s central disciplinary committee, has identified rampant abuses by provincial cadres as a most serious issue and vowed to bring it to an end.

Stratfor Global Intelligence Report of 18 July comments on two editorials that appeared in The People’s Daily on 17 July. According to Stratfor, The People’s Daily “usually represents the unified voice of the CCP”, and therefore, the two strongly pro-reform editorials are most likely to be signalling that reforms are on the way. Stratfor reports that the editorials speak of “party democracy”. This is exactly what Mr. Sun Zaifu is talking about in his calls for expanding democracy “step by step”, starting from inside the CCP.

CATHOLIC HERITAGE

According to the South China Morning Post, for a few days in late July early August, the Chinese government did, for the first time since 1949, “put on display some of the treasures of the Jesuit legacy to Shanghai. The SCMP reports that Shanghai’s Catholic heritage dates back to “Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit who came to China in the late 16th century and was allowed to live in Beijing in 1601 on an imperial stipend as a western scholar. He and other Jesuits used their knowledge of astronomy, cartography, clockwork and memory training to attract members of the Chinese elite.”

“The treasures are on display at the Zangshulou, part of the Shanghai Library in Xujiahui, one of the city’s busiest commercial districts. The building is part of a four-storey apartment building in a large complex of churches, schools, orphanages, seminaries and a planetarium built by the Jesuits on land they acquired in 1847.”

The SCMP article lists some of the ancient books and manuscripts on display – manuscripts in Chinese by Jesuit scholars, a Latin-Chinese dictionary published in 1723, a Portuguese-Chinese dictionary published in 1833 in Macau, books dating back to the 16th century and graphics of Ricci’s most famous convert, a senior official in the Ming government who is buried in a mausoleum nearby.

“On the wall hangs a handwritten map of Jiangsu province, produced by a French Jesuit named Gibert, which records the number and location of Catholic churches. Also on display are photographs dating from the 1850s, which record the growth of the Jesuit domain from a single church in a house in traditional style to dozens of western-style buildings, including St Ignatius Cathedral, built between 1896 and 1910 with a capacity of 2,500. It remains the largest Catholic church in China.” (SCMP “Treasures of city’s Jesuit legacy are put on display”, by Mark O’Neill in Shanghai Sunday, 27 July 2003)

——————— THE PARADOX ———————

CONVERTING A RELIGIOUS PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE INTO A CRIMINAL (background)

Pastor Gong Shengliang (51) is the founder-leader of the South China Church (SCC), an evangelical house church movement with some 50,000 members across 10 provinces. He was arrested and sentenced to death in December 2001 under China’s anti-cult legislation for “using an evil cult to undermine the law”. There are presently 63 SCC members in prison for worshipping in unregistered house churches. Members say approximately 500 others are “on the run”.

The religious nature of the charge against Gong, combined with the death sentence, aroused international condemnation. Female SCC prisoners were tortured into signing testimonies that Gong had raped them. They later withdrew their testimonies saying they were given under duress, and were subsequently sent to labour camps. Pastor Gong was re-tried in the Jingmen Intermediate People’s Court on 10 October 2002. The “testimonies” were admissible in court, enabling the religious charge and death sentence to be overturned and replaced with a criminal charge of rape and a sentence of life imprisonment.

INTENSE SUFFERING

Pastor Gong has been severely tortured during interrogations, regularly brutally beaten, deprived of his Bible and forced to undergo intensive brainwashing. He was recently reported as being close to death after being so severely beaten by prison police that

he had spent several days in a coma, and was subsequently bedridden and showing signs of internal bleeding and hearing loss. According to sources, Gong is extremely thin and frail, his eyebrow, beard and hair have turned all hoary and grey and his complexion is blue.

Mr. Bob Fu, President of China Aid Foundation, reports that pastor Gong’s daughters, Gong Xiaoyan and Gong Huali, remain dedicated full time evangelists. Pastor Gong’s wife however, sister Hu Guifang, is reportedly seriously ill mentally due to the trauma of fear, intimidation, suffering and grief.

By mid July Mr. Fu was able to report that Pastor Gong was still alive and had been permitted a visit from two relatives. Pastor Gong was separated from his visitors by glass and was supervised the whole time. Pastor Gong did not speak one single word, but it is not known if this was out of protest, or in response to an order not to speak, or because of injuries that had left him physically unable to speak.

In an effort to stop leaks to the outside world, the Chinese authorities recently moved Pastor Gong from Jingzhou prison to Hong Shan Prison, Wu Chang District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province where he is being kept in isolation.

REGISTER OR SUFFER

A national campaign to get house churches to register (and thereby come under government CCP control and supervision) is in operation. The following details are from China Aid Foundation.

On 28 June, eighty believers were arrested when police raided a funeral in Hunan province. On 7 July, the Re-education Commission of Shaoyang People’s Government sentenced six of the house church leaders to between one and a half and two years re-education through labour. Among them are sister Yin Lirong (40) who served two years in labour camp in 1998-99, and brother Ning Shuncheng (50) who served 18 months in labour camp in 1998-99. Both of them were accused of “organizing evil cultic activities with All-Sphere Church (Peter Xu’s group)”. The other four are brother Zhou Yudan, Zhou Guicheng and sister Fan Xiaohong, as well as sister Tang Ren’er whose sentence is not detailed yet.

Six church leaders from Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province were arrested in a PSB raid on a house church prayer meeting at 4 am, Sunday 13 July and taken to the Lan Tian Hotel where they have been detained ever since. Their names are Elder Shen Shaocheng (80), Gao Chongdao, Xu Weimin, Sheng Chuanrong, Qi Xiangfa and another unidentified believer.

Three house church leaders from Bazhong County, Sichuan province, brother Lu Dajun, brother Yang Longgang and brother Yang Ming, were also recently sentenced to re-education through labour.

On 14 and 22 July the Public Security Bureau of Jingmen City, Hubei province detained five believers. They are brother Li Jianxong (50), Guo Qizheng (50), brother Kang Xiaofan (20), sister Yi (who is in charge of church finance) and sister Chen Lin who is a Sunday school teacher. They are all held at Shayang Detention Center, Hubei province.

USCIRF TESTIMONY

On 24 July, Felice D. Gaer, the Vice Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) gave testimony before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Her testimony, entitled “Will Religion Flourish Under China’s New Leadership?” can be found at the link below.

Ms. Gaer makes reference to the China paradox. “If the past is any guide, we can expect the party (of Hu Jintao) to pursue a policy of gradual economic liberalization coupled with severe restrictions on political dissent and religious freedom.”

Ms. Gaer testifies, “Today, Chinese government officials continue to claim the right to control, monitor, and restrain religious practice, purportedly to protect public safety, order, health, and so forth. However, the government’s actions to restrict religious belief and practice go far beyond what is necessary to legitimately protect those interests; in other words, far beyond what is permissible under international law. While China’s Constitution provides its citizens with the “freedom of religious belief”, it does not protect the right to manifest religious beliefs.

“The crackdowns against religious believers are believed to be sanctioned at the highest levels of government. Indeed, Chinese laws, policies, and practices severely restrict religious activities, including contact with foreign religious organizations, the training and appointment of spiritual leaders, and religious education for children in accordance with the convictions of their parents. As a result of government policies and practices, persons continue to be confined, tortured, imprisoned, and subject to other forms of ill treatment on account of their religion or belief.”

Representatives of the USCIRF were to visit China in early August (as mentioned in Ms Gaer’s testimony). However, the visit has been postponed due to “unacceptable last-minute conditions imposed upon the Commission’s visit by the Chinese government”. These include the Chinese government’s non-provision of an itinerary of confirmed meetings, and its “insistence” that Hong Kong be dropped completely from the agenda.

– Elizabeth Kendal

Link

Congressional-Executive Commission on China “Will Religion Flourish Under China’s New Leadership?” 24 July 2003, Testimony, Felice D. Gaer, Vice Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom http://www.uscirf.gov/hearings/24Jul03/gaer_CECC.php3

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