The Chinese government has ordered the removal of crosses from churches and replaced images of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary with pictures of President Xi Jinping, according to a new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
The report states that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is targeting Catholic and Protestant Christians in a process known as "sinicization." This includes the display of CCP slogans at church entrances, the censorship of religious texts, the imposition of CCP-approved religious materials, and instructions to clergy to preach CCP ideology.
The report explains that sinicization "entrenches the CCP’s control into every aspect of religious life by forcing groups from the five officially recognized religions to conform their beliefs, activities, expression, attire, leadership, language, houses of worship, and more to CCP ideology."
It also notes that China is incorporating CCP ideology into every facet of religious life for Buddhists, Catholics, Protestant Christians, Muslims, and Taoists.
Tens of millions of Christians in China have refused to join the permitted state-controlled religious organizations, known as "patriotic religious organizations," and are worshipping underground. They reject the spiritual authority of government-backed clergy, instead recognizing the Vatican as the sole legitimate source of spiritual authority, which the CCP views as a threat.
Anyone practicing religion outside of the state-approved associations is considered part of a "cult" and subject to anti-cult provisions in Chinese law, a policy that has led to mass arrests and imprisonment. The report states that the Chinese government continues to "forcibly disappear" underground Catholic and independent Protestant leaders.
In 2018, the Vatican and China signed an agreement to cooperate on the appointment of bishops in the country. However, despite this, the Chinese government has unilaterally installed CCP-aligned bishops without the Vatican’s consultation and approval.