There is little doubt that their views reflect the Chinese government’s position. The close collaboration between these leaders was impressive: each wasted no time in attacking his designated target: The two Buddhists attacked the Dalai Lama; the Taoist leader expressed how “all Chinese people and all religions passionately loath” Falun Gong; the head of China’s Islam Association condemned the instigators and organizers of Xinjiang violence; an official from the Chinese Catholic Church praised the government for supporting his religion and said “it is the best time in China to promote religion.” He also blamed the U.S. for voicing concerns over the persecution of Falun Gong, which he believes “is not even a religion”; Pastor Yu Xinli used former president Carter’s ribbon cutting at a China sponsored bible show in the U.S. as evidence of “real religious freedom” in China. The following is the translation of the full news article] [1]
China’s Religious Leaders Rebut the U.S. Religious Freedom Annual Report
[Editor’s Note: After the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2010 Annual Report, Xinhua released statements from six religious leaders representing five major recognized religions (Buddhism, Daoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism).