According to Huanqiu, in a recent interview with China Newsweek, Zhu Weiqun, the head of the Committee for Social, Legal，Ethnic, and Religious Affairs and former executive vice director of the United Front Work Department stated once again, “It needs be very clear and firm that Communist Party members are not allowed to practice religion.” According to Zhu, “If the Party members are allowed to practice religion, our Party will be demobilized in Party ideology and organizational structure while we will lose the Party’s advanced nature.”
Zhu also denied that his statement contradicts the “freedom to practice religion” as guaranteed in the constitution. He believes that one can choose either to practice a religion or to join the Party, but not both.
Zhu did acknowledge that the number of people who practice religion is growing and that the influence that religion is having on society is also increasing. He estimated the total number of people who practice the top five religions in China is over 100 million.
Source: Huanqiu, June 16, 2013
http://china.huanqiu.com/roll/2013-06/4031025.html