Published by: department of religious affairs, state council
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General secretary jiang zemin, in his address to the national congress in november 1993, said: “on religious issues, i would like to emphasize three words: full and proper implementation of the party's religious policy, strengthening of the administration of religious affairs in accordance with the law, and active orientation of religion to the socialist society.” these three sentences are a synopsis of the party centre, the state council's policy, guidelines and a series of important directives in recent years。
The central party, the state council, attaches great importance to religious work in the new era. In 1982, the central party published the basic perspectives and basic policies on religious issues during the socialist period in our country (i. E., the middle issue (1982)),19 which provides a more systematic overview of the party's historical experience on both positive and negative religious issues since the establishment of the state and sets out its basic views and policies on religious issues. In 1991, the central committee of the communist republic of china and the state council issued circulars on a number of issues for the further development of religious work (i. E., document sino-american (1991)6); the state council promulgated two religious statutes in 1994; and in recent years, the central leader's comrades have issued many important speeches and instructions. The spirit of these documents, regulations and directives, taking into account the new state of religious work and the new issues of the new era, further refines the basic views and policies of the party on religious issues. Central policy guidelines on religious work have been established, and our religious policy has evolved into a more well-developed system. It is on this basis that the three statements highlighted by secretary-general jiang are highly summarized and are a central expression of the general policy approach to religious work, which is rich in content。
In order to facilitate the careful study and implementation of religious work practices by comrades, as well as to provide party leaders at all levels and relevant departments with basic teaching materials on the religious policy of the party, the directorate-general for policy and regulations, using the three sentences on religious issues summarized by the secretary-general of jiang, has prepared a series of documents on religious work and a summary of the spirit of the important instructions given by the state council in recent years, which have been discussed and revised by the national conference of religious directors, as points of religious work policy。
In learning and following up, care should be taken to integrate and appreciate its spiritual essence. When quoted, care is taken to check the original language of the main literature on which it is based. Please report back to my department of political affairs in a timely manner。
Full and proper implementation of the party's religious policy and strengthening of the administration of religious affairs in accordance with the law, in order to bring religion into line with socialist society (points of the religious work policy)
Editor, policy and regulations division, bureau of religious affairs, state council
I. Full and proper implementation of the party's religious policy
(i) religions have their own processes of emergence, development and extinction and remain permanent, complex, mass, national and international in socialist society. It is imperative that all party comrades have a clear understanding of the persistence of religious issues in socialist conditions. The idea that with the establishment of a socialist system and the development of an economic culture, religion will soon disappear is unrealistic. The idea and practice of relying on executive orders or other coercive means to eliminate religions in one way or another, and to depart from the marxist basic view of religious issues, is totally wrong and very harmful。
(ii) ethnicity, religion and the proper treatment and handling of religious issues are important topics in the construction of socialism in our country, as well as in the construction of chinese-style socialism. The proper handling of religious issues is of paramount importance to national stability and national unity, to the development of international contacts and to counter the infiltration of hostile forces abroad, and to the building of socialist material and spiritual civilization. In dealing with complex and sensitive religious issues, it is essential to have a clear political mind, a sharp political vision, a good grasp of the nature of the problem through complex phenomena and a prudent and prudent approach to solving it. This requires that we, the party committees at all levels, take a “special care”, “very strict” and “considerate” approach to religious issues, as lenin has pointed out. It is not right to exaggerate the seriousness and complexity of the problem, and it is wrong to ignore the existence and complexity of the real problem and to let it go。
(iii) respect for and protection of freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental policy of our party and the state. The constitution on freedom of religious belief grants citizens a right. The policy of freedom of religion and belief is a long-term fundamental policy that must be implemented until the natural demise of religion in the future. Since the 11th plenum, the party's religious policy has gradually been implemented, thanks to the joint efforts of the party committees, the government and the patriotic religious groups at all levels, with notable achievements in religious work. The religious policies of the party and the government had proved to be correct, and the overall situation with regard to religious work had been positive. The fundamental policy of freedom of religion and belief must continue to be pursued in earnest, with continuity and stability in religious policy. All-party comrades must understand clearly that the party's religious policy is not a temporary expediency, but rather the only correct religious policy that truly serves the interests of the people, based on the scientific doctrine of marxist leninism and mao zedong's ideology and aimed at uniting the peoples of the country in building a modern and socialist state。
(iv) citizens have the freedom to profess and not to believe in religion. (c) respect for and protection of freedom of religion and belief, including the protection of the freedom of people to profess and not to practise. No state organ, social group or individual may compel citizens to believe in or not to believe in religion, nor discriminate between citizens who believe in religion and citizens who do not. There is respect and solidarity between believers and non-believers, and between people of different religions and sects. Care is taken to respect and protect the rights of a minority of believers in places where the majority does not believe in religion, and in places where the majority does。
(v) the principle of separation of state administration from religion from education. The essence of the policy of freedom of religion and belief is to make the issue of religious belief a matter of individual choice for citizens. Of course, socialist state regimes must not be used to promote a religion, nor must they be used to prohibit a religion, as long as it is a normal religious belief and religious activity. We cannot use executive power to eliminate religion or to develop it. In accordance with the principle of secularism, no religion may interfere in politics or in government affairs, including justice, education, marriage, family planning, etc., and no advocacy against the four fundamental principles can be made. Citizens must fulfil their obligations while exercising their right to freedom of religious belief. No one may take advantage of the leadership and socialist system of religious opposition parties to jeopardize national unity, social stability and national unity, to the detriment of social and collective interests and to the detriment of the legitimate rights of other citizens. No one may use religion to interfere with state administration, justice, school education and social public education, to engage in activities that impede the implementation of compulsory education, or to restore the abolished religious feudal privilege and oppressive exploitation system。
(vi) the development of friendly relations between religions on the basis of independence and independence, both through the active development of international friendly relations between religions and through the firm rejection of the infiltration of all hostile forces in foreign religions. Our religious communities and affairs are not dominated by foreign forces. We support the principle that religious communities adhere to the principle of independence and self-government, that religious communities can interact and communicate with foreign religious communities, but that foreign forces are not allowed to dominate the affairs of our religious communities and religions and that the use of religion for infiltration by hostile forces is strictly protected. No religious group or individual may establish religious organizations, establish offices, establish places of religious activity or open religious institutions in our territory, develop believers among chinese citizens, appoint religious teaching personnel and carry out other missionary activities. In external cooperation, the principle of separation between religion and economic and technical assistance must be upheld, and religious conditions must not be attached. Ethnic and religious issues have been used by hostile international forces as a breakthrough for the “westernization” and “diversion” of socialist states. National separatists also continue to use religion to incite unrest. This deserves our attention and vigilance. Our patriotic religious groups should educate their own teaching staff and members of the religious community, always vigilant and conscientiously resist such infiltration. As you can see, the first and direct victims of this infiltration are the patriotic religious groups themselves。
(vii) political solidarity, mutual respect in faith, consolidation and expansion of the patriotic reunification front with religious communities. Political solidarity and mutual respect in faith are principles that govern our relations with religious communities. Patriotism and the building of socialism with a chinese character are both the basis for political unity and cooperation between us and our religious friends and for mutual understanding and respect in faith. Experience has shown that true respect for one another can be achieved only if there is genuine political solidarity and cooperation, and that political solidarity can be effectively consolidated and strengthened only if there is mutual respect for one another. The two are mutually reinforcing and cannot be separated. We must firmly implement that principle. On the one hand, the fundamental long-standing policies of respecting and protecting the right of citizens to freedom of religion and belief, protecting normal religious activities and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the religious community must be pursued with determination from the side of the party and the government. On the other hand, the religious community must remain steadfast in its commitment to the leadership of the communist party of china, to socialism, to the principle of independent and autonomous churches and to religious activities within the framework of the constitution, laws, regulations and policies. With such a political foundation and a combination of the two sides, we must be able to unite the patriots of the religious community and the wider community of believers in order to consolidate and expand the patriotic front of the new era。
(viii) the fundamental starting point and starting point for the implementation of our policy of freedom of religion and belief in dealing with all religious issues is to bring together the entire community of believers and non-believers and to focus their will and strength on the common goal of building a modern socialist power. It should be understood that, at this stage, the ideological differences between the believers and the non-believers are more minor, and if one-sided emphasis is placed on these differences and even refers to their primacy, discrimination and repression against the believers, while ignoring and obliterating the unity of the fundamental political and economic interests of the believers and the non-believers, and forgetting that the fundamental task of the party is to unite the entire population (both the majority and the non-believers) in the struggle to build a modern socialist power, it will only increase the divide between the believers and the non-believers, undermine relations between the parties and the government and the religious masses, and stimulate and intensify religious fanaticism, affect social stability and have serious negative consequences for the socialist cause. If we do not pay attention to respecting the religious beliefs of the various ethnic groups, we will affect our relations with them and our national unity and unity. We want to unite the believers and the non-believers who believe in this or that religion, to live together in harmony and respect each other, and to concentrate our will and strength on building a socialist cause with chinese characteristics. Any statements or actions that deviate from this base point are wrong and should be firmly rejected by the parties and the people。
(ix) seek, unite and educate the religious community and systematically train the younger generation of patriotic religious professionals to play their full role as a patriotic religious community. The long-standing cooperation of the vast majority of our religious community with the parties and the government is an important force in maintaining the stability of the state and society, in reaching out to the people of the faith to perform their duties, in uniting them, in caring for them, and in encouraging their patriotism and progress. The patriotic religious groups, as the bridge between the party and the government to unite and educate the religious community, must support and help them to strengthen their own building, carry out their activities in accordance with their own characteristics and regulations and fully mobilize their motivation. The parties ' governing bodies at all levels must regularly listen to the views and suggestions of the patriotic religious groups and religious figures, and address important religious issues, in full consultation with them. The training and education of the young generation's patriotic religious professionals is decisive for the future face of our religious organizations. It is necessary to support and help the patriotic religious communities to set up religious institutions, to systematically and systematically develop a community of religious staff who love their country, accept party leadership, adhere to the path of socialism, preserve the unity and national unity of the country, have religious knowledge and are able to reach out to the people of faith。
(x) as an integral part of the fundamental policy of freedom of religion and belief, the party and the government also have a number of specific policy provisions. In the case of members of the communist party who cannot believe in religion or participate in religious activities and who persist in their refusal to change their religion for a long time, the members of the communist party, among the minorities who are essentially religiously all, are required to distinguish themselves from religious beliefs and to respect and follow the customs and customs of the people in their lives in a manner that is appropriate; educate the population, particularly the youth, about the scientific world view of adversarial materialism and historical materialism; strengthen the dissemination of scientific and cultural knowledge about natural phenomena, social evolution and the death of human beings from old age and ill health, as well as rejection of feudalism and pseudoscience; scientific research on religious issues using marxist positions, perspectives, methods and methods is an important part of the theoretical work of the party; publish in the press articles on religious issues, taking care not to undermine the religious feelings of religious believers, contrary to existing religious policies; the relationship between religious organizations in the hong kong and macao special administrative regions and religious organizations in the interior should be based on the principles of non-belity, non-interference and mutual respect; implement seriously the policy of property of religious communities; and help in matters of patriotic religious communities。
Ii. Strengthening the administration of religious affairs in accordance with the law
(xi) the implementation of the policy of freedom of religion and belief is consistent with the strengthening of the administration of religious affairs in accordance with the law and cannot be opposed to them. The law regulates religious affairs, not only in contradiction with the policy of freedom of religion and belief, but also in order to implement it in a more comprehensive manner. Not to speak of a policy of freedom of religion or belief, to adopt an irresponsible and liberal attitude towards religious activities, and not even to turn a blind eye to illegal activities carried out through the use of religion; nor to speak of strengthening the management of religious affairs, without regard to normal religious activities or illegal activities。
(xii) regulation of religious affairs by law means the administration and supervision by the government of the implementation of laws, regulations and policies relating to religion. Its main elements are the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of religious communities and monasteries by the government in accordance with the law, the protection of religious personnel in the performance of their normal religious activities, the protection of the normal religious activities of religious communities, the prevention and suppression of the use of religion and religious activities by outlaws to cause disorder and crime, and the resistance to religious infiltration by hostile forces abroad。
(xiii) the law regulates religious activities in order to incorporate them into laws, regulations and policies. Religious communities are legally registered and subject to the regulation and supervision of government departments; religious activities must be carried out within the framework of law and policy; and the interaction of religious parties is primarily governed by law. Illegal missionary activities must be firmly stopped。
(xiv) all places of worship must be approved by the government and registered in accordance with the law, and their management strengthened. The establishment of places of worship must be approved by the people's governments above and above and shall be registered with the religious affairs departments of the people's governments above the county level in accordance with the law. Religious sites shall be established under the executive authority of the religious services of the government and shall be administered by patriotic religious groups and religious personnel in accordance with the principles of democratic governance. Legal rights and interests in places of religious activity and normal religious activities are protected by law, and no organization or individual may violate or interfere。
(xv) the legal regulation of religious affairs by the authorities must be strengthened and must not be weakened, let alone abandoned. An essential feature of modern society is the legal regulation of all aspects of social life. This is a method of governance and a power vested in the state, including in religious matters. The regulation of religious affairs in accordance with the law is an important philosophy of the party and the government in religious work. This is a need to strengthen socialist democracy and the rule of law, to perform religious work in the new era and to guarantee freedom of religious belief for citizens of all nationalities。
(xvi) while protecting freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities, firmly combat all criminal activities and counter-revolutionary sabotage under the guise of religion. The overwhelming majority of our religious communities are law-abiding and generally stable. It must be noted, however, that there are also a small number of outlaws who wear religious cloaks, use religious forms, establish reactionary, illegal organizations and commit criminal activities that affect the production of people and the living order, social stability and economic development of some parts of the population, and which should be given high priority by the party committees and the government. Effective measures must be taken to curb their spread resolutely. The criminal activities of the leading elements must be firmly combated. At the same time, care must be taken to distinguish normal religious activities from superstitious activities that do not fall within the ambit of religion and endanger the interests of the state and the lives and property of the people, from illegal activities that fall within the ambit of supra-constitutional, legal and party policies。
(xvii) policies must be in place to make a strict distinction between the two types of conflicts of a different nature with regard to religion and to deal with them correctly. At this stage, the problems that have arisen in the religious sphere of our country, mainly internal conflicts among the people, do not rule out the confrontational nature of the problems. It is essential that the internal contradictions of the people be channelled in such a way that, even in the event of a disturbance, they are always based on trust, the search for and the solidarity of the majority of the population in order to promote firm, accurate isolation and the fight against a few hostile elements. Non-confrontational conflicts must not be treated as confrontational and artificial enemies; they must not be transformed into confrontational conflicts and self-suffering. We cannot afford to lose our vigilance and must deal seriously and decisively with those who invoke national and religious issues as a cause for unrest. Such matters, sometimes non-confrontational and confrontational, are intertwined, and the confusion between the uninformed and the ulterior bad make our work more difficult. The party committees and the government at all levels must take a very cautious approach to religious issues, in order to maintain stability, draw a strict distinction between the two types of conflicts and deal with them properly, and exercise patience and education in an effort to resolve them at the grass-roots level。
(xviii) religious issues are, to a large extent, linked to ethnic issues and are sensitive to the differences and links between ethnic and religious issues and are properly addressed. In dealing with religious issues, it is important to focus on the development and advancement of the nation and on bringing together the people of the faith and faith of the peoples together in a common commitment to socialism. Vigilance and rejection of any statements or actions that use religious fanaticism to divide peoples, undermine the unity of the homeland and undermine unity among peoples。
(xix) the administration of religious affairs shall be governed by laws, regulations and policies, and shall increase the level and capacity of managers at all levels, especially those in leadership positions, to administer and administer religious affairs in accordance with the law. At different levels of our legal system, such as constitutional law, laws, regulations and sectoral regulations, the policy documents of the parties and the state are also an important basis for regulation by law. A great deal of work has been done on religious legislation. The constitution establishes important legal principles for religious issues and work in the country, as well as provisions in such basic laws as the general principles of civil law, the law on regional ethnic autonomy and the penal code. In january 1994, the state council promulgated the regulations on the regulation of religious activities of foreigners in the people's republic of china (order 144) and the regulations on the management of places of religious activity (order 145). In conjunction with decree no. 145, the department of religious affairs of the state council issued a " method for registration of places of religious activity " and an opinion on its implementation. These should be implemented in earnest. There is a need to monitor the implementation of the law and to resolutely redress the lack of compliance, the lack of enforcement and the lack of accountability. It is necessary to strengthen the administration of justice while avoiding abuse of authority and interference in normal religious activities and the internal affairs of religious groups. Legislation regulating the conduct of governments should be explored and developed. (c) to improve the level and capacity of managers at all levels, especially those in leadership positions, to administer and administer in accordance with the law。
(xx) establishment and development of a regulatory system and monitoring mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations relating to religion. Religious legislation needs to be strengthened. The department of religious affairs of the state council must expedite the preparation of administrative regulations on religious matters, and local authorities may continue to develop and improve local religious regulations. Planning and, through a number of years of effort, essentially constitute a monitoring mechanism for the enforcement of the religious regulatory system. The rule of law must be strengthened, the concept of the rule of law must be strengthened, the role of the law must be taken into account and the law must prevail。
Iii. Actively guiding religion to socialism
(xxi) the implementation of the party's policy of freedom of religion and belief, as well as the strengthening of the administration of religious affairs in accordance with the law, are aimed at bringing religion into line with socialist society. My country is a country of many religions. Religion is a historical phenomenon that will persist in socialist society. If religion is not compatible with socialist society, conflicts arise; once adapted, religion can play a positive role in socialist society。
(xxii) the followers of the great majority of religions are committed to the socialist system, which is in line with the fundamental interests of the people of the country and is the political basis on which religion can be adapted to socialist society. Inducing religion to be compatible with socialist society does not require religious believers to abandon their atheistic ideas and beliefs, but rather to love their country politically, embrace the socialist system and embrace the communist leadership. It should be believed that we communists have the means and the capacity to lead patriotic religious groups and the followers of a wide variety of religions to combine love and patriotism, to combine religious activities with the scope of the constitution and the law, and to concentrate will and strength on building a great cause of socialism with chinese identity, in line with socialist society。
(xxiii) religion must operate within the limits of the law. The socialist society, in the long course of its development, has to go through a number of different special stages, each of which has to have policies and laws and regulations appropriate to that stage. The term “adaptation” means that religion must comply with the national laws, regulations and policies of the current stage of socialist society. Freedom of religion and belief is guaranteed by law, but religion must operate within the limits of the law and must follow the state's policy and not conflict with laws, regulations and policies。
(xxiv) four codes of conduct must be fundamental. In our country, any person, any group, including any religion, should uphold legal dignity, the interests of the people, national unity and national unity. In our country, no one, no group, including no religion, should be allowed to violate national laws, harm the interests of the people, create ethnic divisions and undermine the unity of the homeland. That is the most basic code of conduct. Deviating from those principles would lead religions astray from their rightful place in our country。
(xxv) the religious community should continue to move forward in terms of its compatibility with socialist society, without retrogression. The reform of our religious system in the past, the removal of imperial manipulation and control from the catholic, christian sphere and the establishment of independent and autonomous churches, and the dismantling of the feudal system of exploitation and oppression from the buddhist and islamic sphere are absolutely necessary and correct and constitute an important step for our religious community to adapt to socialist society. On that basis, the religious community should continue to move forward, without retrogression, in order to adapt to the new realities of socialist modernization。
(xxvi) inducing religious communities to develop some of the positive elements of religion and curbing some of its negative aspects. It is in the service of socialism to guide religious communities in the development of religious teachings, religious precepts and certain positive elements of religious ethics. At the same time, certain religious practices and systems that seriously endanger the production, life and physical and mental health of the population and are not adapted to socialist society should be promoted, on a voluntary and gradual basis, on the basis of full consultation with the religious community and patient education of the population, and rely on them for their management。
(xxvii) the active participation of the religious community in economic development. Religious leaders must be supported and encouraged in various ways to work hard in their jobs, serve their people and contribute more. Certain social services must be developed in a quantitative and selective manner in the interests of nation-building, economic prosperity, social welfare and self-sufficiency for religious groups. In particular, in some poorer regions where there is a concentration of believers, efforts are made to guide and help the population to develop their economy and improve their lives. In the process of making history for the chinese people, it is important to lead the religious community to its place, to play its rightful role and to contribute to the building of a great homeland。
Iv. Strengthening participation and government level of religious work
(xxviii) strengthen party leadership of religious work. The respective departments are responsible and closely coordinated. The party's leadership of religious work is primarily political, with political direction and major policy orientation. The party committees and the government at all levels should keep religious work on their agenda, regularly analyse the situation of religious work, carefully monitor the implementation of religious policies and resolve problems in a timely manner. It is essential to provide strong guidance and organize all the relevant sectors, including the general services, the religious services, the ethnic affairs services, the political and legal services, the information, culture, education, science and technology, the health sector, and people's groups such as trade unions, the young people's league, the women's union and others, in order to unite ideas, understanding, policy and responsibility, and to work closely together in order to ensure that this important work is effectively managed and that it is carried out in earnest。
(xxix) the strengthening of religious work by grass-roots party political organizations. The issue of religion is essentially a question of seeking and educating people. In regions where religious beliefs are more prominent, mass work begins at the grass-roots level. Particular emphasis will therefore be placed on strengthening the work of grass-roots parties and groups and strengthening power-building at the grass-roots level. The grass-roots parties and political organizations are committed to implementing the religious policies of the party and the state, helping religious officials and the religious masses to manage places of worship and carry out religious activities in accordance with the law。
(iii) strengthening religious work institutions and strengthening the capacity of religious staff. Government institutions responsible for religious affairs must be developed and strengthened. In districts (districts) with heavy tasks of provincial, territorial and religious work, the government shall set up religious work institutions, which shall be included in the government's order; religious work institutions already established in general counties (districts) shall be retained and, where there are no religious work agencies, may be co-located with the relevant authorities and staffed with full-time cadres. In townships with religious tasks, there is a need for religious work to be managed by people with a full-time cadre. The training of religious workers is of great importance and their quality is constantly being improved. The party committees at all levels and the government are responsible for the political, working and life of religious cadres。
