Christians are being urged to stand with other minority groups persecuted by the Chinese regime, as a new report warns of growing repression in Hong Kong through its classrooms. 

So-called “patriotic education” and “national security education”, taught from age six, are part of a push by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to indoctrinate and force conformity, according to Hong Kong Watch. 

The report, launched in the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday, said that education law “attempts to instil the CCP's preoccupation with national security and malign ‘foreign forces’ into Hong Kong schoolchildren”, which has led to “purging teachers deemed insufficiently loyal to the state” and the remodelling of education, which will have long-term consequences for society. 

The Hong Kong National Security Law, imposed in 2020, has led to a draconian crackdown on dissent and activities deemed to undermine Chinese authority. It has led to the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai and Joshua Wong, both Christians and pro-democracy campaigners. 

It comes as “ethnic unity” laws have been introduced in mainland China. Leader Xi Jinping has called for the “Sinicisation of religion”, with churches expected to conform and pledge public loyalty to the CCP. 

Thomas Benson, head of advocacy and research at Hong Kong Watch, told Premier Christian News that patriotic education and ethnic unity laws are part of the same push.

He said: “These are essentially coming from the same place: to inculcate a pro-state, pro-CCP ideology in students and to minimise the space for alternative views, including religious viewpoints.”

“The report has found that Hong Kong's education system has been comprehensively remodelled since 2020 under the National Security Law, to indoctrinate Hong Kong students from primary school age into the importance of what the CCP calls ‘safeguarding national security’. It teaches them, drills them really, in the individual articles of the national security law. It teaches a very pro-CCP, pro-China view of Chinese history in Hong Kong. It also teaches them to distrust foreign influence, by which it means western criticism of China’s human rights record.”

The national security laws claim worldwide jurisdiction over individuals regardless of residency or nationality. Benson warned of a “chilling effect” that extends to universities and students from China or Hong Kong studying in the UK, who may be referred to authorities over what they discuss.

Hong Kong Watch patrons Baroness Bennett and Lord Alton concurred that an “alliance” and joint advocacy on behalf of those persecuted by CCP policies, including Christians, was important in raising cases where freedom of religion, expression and cultural identity were under threat. 

Benson added: “All of these groups are coming under pressure from the same source, because the CCP deems them to pose a threat to its preferred ideology of ‘Xi Jinping Thought’. So it’s incredibly important that these groups support each other’s efforts and unite to advocate for the right for the freedom of expression, for the right for freedom of religion or none.”