The concern for persecuted Christians and churches in China is set to grow following the 19th National Party Congress of the Communist Party of China, a watchdog group said, with President Xi Jinping set to rule for years to come. Bob Fu, president of persecution watchdog China Aid, told The Christian Post in a phone interview on Tuesday that the “clear signal” from the week-long congress, which is held only twice a decade, is that the Communist government will seek to “exert total control over all ares of life” of Chinese citizens, extending to churches and other places of worship.
As Reuters reported on Wednesday, the Communist Party revealed a new leadership line-up without a clear successor to Xi, meaning that he is likely to continue being a top figure even beyond the end of his second term in power in 2022. Moreover, on Tuesday the party voted to enshrine Xi’s name and ideology into its constitution, elevating him to the level of Chairman Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic of China. Fu noted this is the first time this has happened in many decades. READ MORE
