(China – October 14, 2024) Xi Jinping’s religious discourse has shaped the direction of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) policies, regulations, and measures concerning religion. At the Central United Front Work Conference in 2015, Xi stated: “Actively guide religions to adapt to socialist society, must adhere to the direction of Sinicization.” During national conferences on work related to religious affairs in both 2016 and 2021, Xi emphasized that the Sinicization of religion should serve as the ideological guideline and fundamental principle for religious work. Under this political directive, the Chinese government began implementing mandatory Sinicization policies, restricting religious freedom and fundamentally altering the religious landscape in China.
The Five-Year Plan for Sinicization of Christianity
The “Five-Year Work Plan To Further Advance the Sinicization of Christianity (2023-2027),” introduced in January of last year, outlines one of its key objectives as immersing Christianity in Chinese traditional culture. Each year, it aims to incorporate the promotion of Sinicization into church sermons during major national holidays, commemorative events, Chinese traditional festivals, and significant celebrations within Chinese churches. The plan encourages dioceses, congregations, and seminaries to organize learning sessions and activities on holidays such as National Day. The goal is to strengthen clergy members and believers’ understanding and appreciation of Chinese traditional culture, heighten patriotic fervor, and instill confidence and pride in being Chinese, ensuring that the concept of Sinicization is deeply ingrained in both mind and heart.
National Day Celebrations Reflect Political Agenda
This year, October 1 marked the National Day of the People’s Republic of China, commemorating the Chinese Communist Party’s victory over the Nationalist forces (Kuomintang) and the subsequent establishment of the government in mainland China in 1949, forcing the Republic of China to retreat to Taiwan. Western-influenced religions like Catholicism and Christianity have long been focal points of the Communist Party’s United Front work, making this political agenda a persistent part of the party’s strategy. Recently, with the active promotion by state-controlled patriotic religious organizations—such as the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association—a series of celebrations took place across China’s officially sanctioned Christian and Catholic churches, as well as seminaries, to mark the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. Compared to previous years, these celebrations have become increasingly political in content.
Xu Xiaohong, the top leader of the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China, the officially recognized Christian organization, broadly praised the spirit of sacrifice among Chinese Christians for their country. According to the official website of the protestant church of China, Xu Xiaohong spoke at a forum celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, saying:
“Progressive Chinese Christians, motivated by the patriotic spirit and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have thrown themselves into the cause of anti-imperialism, patriotism, and the struggle for national independence and liberation for the happiness and freedom of the people, and for the independent and healthy development of the church. In doing so, they have written a glorious chapter in the history of Chinese Christian patriotism.”
Xu Xiaohong praised Christians for following the political call for the Sinicization of Christianity, which advocates independence from global Christianity, over the past several decades. Xu stated: “For 75 years, Christianity of China has always been of one heart and mind with the Party, the country, and the people, moving in the same direction. It has always adhered to the principles of independence and self-management, stayed on the path of love for the country and love for the church, and actively adapted to socialist society. We must continue to uphold the direction of the Sinicization of Christianity and systematically advance Sinicization of Christianity.”
The official website of Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, China’s top theological institution, published a report titled “Ode to the Motherland · Love of Jinling,” detailing a cultural gala held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. On September 27, the entire faculty and students gathered in the auditorium for the event. Vice President Li Jiangyue delivered a speech, encouraging theological students to love their country and religion, strive to equip themselves, and continuously practice the Sinicization of Christianity, contributing to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The evening’s performances featured a variety of artistic forms, including the rendition of several patriotic songs.
In southern China’s Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City’s official organizations of Christianity held a celebration event aimed at advancing the systematic promotion of the Sinicization of Christianity in the new era. On September 7, 2024, Guangzhou City’s official organizations of Christianity, held the “Choir of A Thousand Singing ‘My Motherland and I’ — A Concert To Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China and Sinicization of Christian Music.” The concert took place at the Dongshan Church. For the first time, the official Christian organizations assembled a thousand-member choir to perform. The repertoire included patriotic songs, traditional Chinese pieces like “Jasmine Flower” and “The Butterfly Lovers,” as well as newly composed “Sinicized hymns.”
Under the control of Communist Party-affiliated patriotic organizations, this year’s officially recognized Christian Churches held celebrations across China which removed all traditional church hymns. Instead, in the sanctuaries of churches, red songs were sung. Church choirs, dressed in their robes, waved the Chinese Communist Party’s Five-Star Red Flag and sang “March of the Volunteers,” which is both a military song from the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the national anthem of the People’s Republic of China. This was done to align with the political demands placed on religion by the regime and to express the official church’s strong patriotism, enhancing national consciousness and social responsibility.
On the Catholic side, Joseph Shen Bin’s remarks during one event were entirely “de-Vaticanized,” with no mention of Catholic doctrine. On September 21, a significant event to celebrate the founding of the People’s Republic of China was held by Shanghai’s Catholic community. Before the event began, all participants sang the national anthem. Shanghai Bishop Joseph Shen Bin gave a speech encouraging clergy and believers to carry forward the patriotic and religious traditions of Shanghai’s Catholic community. He urged them to deeply study the spirit of the “Third Plenary Session of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party” to unite more closely around the Central Committee with Xi Jinping as its core, and to integrate their religious faith with patriotism. Bishop Joseph Shen Bin emphasized the importance of connecting their personal futures with the destiny of the nation, working together with all the sons and daughters of China to contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
On September 25, Guangzhou’s Catholic Patriotic Association and the Sacred Heart Cathedral jointly held a celebration event. During the event, patriotic songs such as “Sing a Folk Song for the Party” and “The Grand China” were performed. Additionally, a patriotic educational choral drama titled “The Destruction of Opium at Humen” was staged inside the church sanctuary.
Across the country, videos of similar celebration events have circulated widely online, with netizens overwhelmingly criticizing and mocking the lack of genuine religious freedom in China. They claim that politics and power have been used to manipulate religion, turning it into a propaganda tool for the state. Religious groups have effectively become extensions of the Communist Party.
From the “Sinicization of Religion” to “De-religionization”
Xi Jinping’s distinctive religious policy— “Sinicization of Religion”—has corrupted into a process of “de-religionization,” leaving only the shell of religion and stripping it of its pure spiritual essence. This has been a subtle yet systematic process of political indoctrination, embedding the Communist Party’s ideology into the religious lives of believers. The so-called “Sinicization of Christianity” has transformed into “de-Christianization,” where the content emphasizes Chinese culture but lacks biblical teachings. In this context, “State Christians” have become complicit in promoting party culture, and the prayer sanctuaries have turned into what Jesus described as a “den of robbers” (Luke 19:41).
Related Coverage:
- Heilongjiang Province’s Officially Sanctioned Christian Organizations and Heilongjiang Christian Theological Seminary sang praises for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.
- On October 1, Christians from the Heilongjiang Province’s Officially Sanctioned Christian Organizations and the Harbin Officially Sanctioned Christian Organizations gathered together to sing for the motherland.
(Reported by Special Correspondent Gao Zhensai of ChinaAid Association)