(Meihekou City, Jilin Province — August 28, 2025) Local authorities in Northeast China have recently closed two underground Protestant churches; this is the latest move in the ongoing campaign against unregistered religious groups operating outside the official state-sanctioned system.
Two Churches Declared “Illegal Social Organizations”
According to an announcement issued by the Meihekou City Civil Affairs Bureau on August 21, “Smyrna Christian Church” and “Jingqi Christian Church” were officially designated as “illegal social organizations” and banned according to law, on the grounds that they had not registered and had carried out religious activities under the name of a social organization without authorization.
Details of Smyrna Christian Church Ban
According to the notice, the “Smyrna Christian Church,” located in the garage of Building 24, Tiancheng International, Guangming Street, Meihekou City, was led by Li Fengxiang. A joint investigation by the city’s Public Security Bureau and the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau concluded that the church had not been registered with the Civil Affairs Bureau, yet was operating under the guise of a social organization, violating the relevant rules under the Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Social Organizations and the Measures for the Banning of Illegal Social Organizations. Based on this, the Civil Affairs Bureau decided on August 21 to ban the church.
Jingqi Christian Church Also Shut Down
On the same day, another church, “Jingqi Christian Church,” located in a converted storefront garage west of the fire brigade on Xinhua Street, Meihekou City, was also formally banned. The church, co-led by Qi Baorong and Dai Guishan, had likewise failed to register and was classified as an illegal organization.
Pattern of Closures Across the Region
Previously, authorities had already shut down several churches of a similar nature, including “Such Great Grace Christian Church,” “Abundance Christian Church,” and “Tiebei Deaf Christian Church,” which served the deaf community.
In addition, in July of this year, the Civil Affairs Bureau of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture announced the banning of a group called “Gate of the Sheep Goshen Church” for the same reason: operating without registration.
Legal Justification: New Regulations in Play
Currently, the Chinese government recognizes only five official religious groups, and all places of worship are required to register and accept state supervision. Independent Christian groups meeting in private homes or rented spaces, commonly known as “house churches”, have long existed in a legal gray area. In recent years, however, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, such groups have come under increasingly strict regulation and crackdown, a trend seen as part of a broader effort to tighten control over civil society and the religious life of citizens.
International Reactions and Human Rights Concerns
International human rights organizations have criticized these actions as systemic violations of religious freedom. Chinese officials, on the other hand, insist that such measures are aimed at cracking down on illegal activities and maintaining “social stability.”
Reported by Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent for ChinaAid
