Christians who worship outside China’s state-approved churches are facing intensified pressure under President Xi Jinping’s administration, according to a report by The Telegraph citing worshippers, pastors, human rights advocates and legal experts.
The report says worshippers have described midnight police raids, detentions, family separations and prosecutions targeting members of unregistered churches. One Christian, identified only as TJ, said police stormed his home, separated him from his wife and three-year-old daughter, and later detained his wife. “They grabbed my clothes and held my hands so I couldn’t move. I could hear my daughter crying in the next room,” he said.
Human rights activist Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid, told the newspaper that more than 10,000 Christians have been arrested during Xi’s tenure. He said the crackdown reflects the government’s determination to ensure no organisation commands greater loyalty than the Chinese Communist Party.
The report also highlighted arrests at Beijing’s Zion Church and the Early Rain Covenant Church, with pastors and members detained during coordinated police raids. Analysts linked the crackdown to China’s 2015 “Sinicisation” policy, which requires religious organisations to align with socialist principles and Communist Party leadership, including increased oversight of sermons, Bible translations, church finances and theological education.
The Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom defended the policy, saying religious affairs are managed “in accordance with the law” and rejecting allegations of religious persecution. However, worshippers and rights groups interviewed by The Telegraph said independent Christians continue to face significant legal and personal risks.
