(Jiaxing, Zhejiang province—May 23, 2023) The Zhejiang Province Jiaxing Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs shut down three college campus ministries.
Three groups shut down
In late April, authorities shut down Huaxia Campus Joint Ministry, Huaxia Campus Joint Ministry Center, and Huaxia Youth Campus Joint Ministry. The official website of the local Civil Affairs posted its official notice:
Our investigation showed that Huaxia Campus Joint Ministry, Huaxia Campus Joint Ministry Center, and Huaxia Youth Campus Joint Ministry never received registration but organized events in the name of an NGO and a non-profit organization without authorization, so they are illegal organizations.
College Ministry in China
Campus ministry focuses on preaching the gospel to college students and training young missionaries. College ministry dates to the 1940s during Christian revivals on university campuses. It has been thriving domestically and abroad since, with emerging young leaders across China. Today, more college students have converted to Christianity while attending school.
CCP retaliation
Christianity’s popularity among college students concerns the Chinese Communist Party. CCP officials planted some research groups at social science institutes to study college students’ faith. This kind of research is deemed as a study of the national condition. The Chinese government believes that it demonstrates that overseas forces infiltrate Chinese culture through religion. After some studies, the campus fellowships of various universities were shut down.
This is the backdrop of the crackdown against Huaxia Campus Joint Ministry, Huaxia Campus Joint Ministry Center, and Huaxia Youth Campus Joint Ministry.
~Yu Bing, ChinaAid Contributing Reporter
