The measures, which will affect churches, organizations, and individuals, will come into force on 1 March 2022. According to the state-owned Global Times newspaper, the Chinese government aims to “standardize online religious information services and guarantee citizens’ freedom of religious belief” through these regulations that “are based on existent laws, including Cybersecurity Law and Regulations on Religious Affairs”.
“Any Chinese organization or individual that operates online religious information services should submit an application to provincial religious affairs departments”, said Chinese authorities. Furthermore, the religious content of those online activities, “must not incite subversion of state power, oppose the Chinese communist party leadership, undermine national unity, or violate the principle of independence and self-management in religious undertakings”.
“Religious groups must not utilize the internet to induce minors to become religious, organize them, or force them to participate in religious activities”, they added. The measures state that “online preaching should be organized and carried out by religious groups, temples, and churches and religious colleges that have obtained the Internet Religious Information Service permit”.
That permit will allow religious leaders “to preach religious doctrines online that are conducive to social harmony and civilization, and guide religious people to be patriotic to the country and abide by the law, only via their own specialized internet websites, applications, or forums that are approved by law”.
Religious colleges that have the permit will also be able “to train their students and religious people on their specialized internet websites, applications or forums, approved according to law, which must use a virtual specialized network to connect to the outside world, and verify the identity of personnel participating in the training”. READ MORE
