China Intensifies Crackdown on Underground Churches with New Arrests

Crackdown on Christians in China

An influential Protestant church in China has announced that prominent leaders were arrested in what appears to be an escalation of the crackdown on underground church movements. Nine individuals were detained on Tuesday after police conducted searches at their homes and at the church offices in Chengdu, according to the Early Rain Covenant Church.

Five of them were released by Wednesday. More than 1,600 kilometers away, authorities began demolishing the Yayang Church building, as shown in a video obtained by the non-profit organization ChinaAid, which monitors religious persecution. This latest round of arrests, following others from last year, demonstrates the Communist Party's determination to suppress churches that do not align with its ideology, according to Christian groups.

Context of the Crackdown

The Chinese government promotes atheism and controls religion. In 2018, it claimed there were 44 million Christians in the country; however, it remains unclear whether this count includes those attending underground churches. The Party has always pressured Christians to join only state-sanctioned churches led by government-approved pastors. Nonetheless, Christian groups argue that the repression has become increasingly conspicuous, with more rapid and frequent arrests.

A Call for Solidarity

In a letter to church members in November, Li Yingqiang, the current leader of the Early Rain Covenant Church, noted that "danger is approaching" and urged spiritual preparedness ahead of a potential major crackdown. The church characterized the arrests as a "concerted operation," although the reasons for the arrests remain unclear. It called for prayers for the safety of its members.

Demolition of Yayang Church

Authorities in Wenzhou mobilized bulldozers, cranes, and heavy machinery to demolish part of the Yayang Church building. According to ChinaAid, hundreds of armed police officers were deployed to monitor the area. Wenzhou, known as "the Jerusalem of China," has more Christians than any other city in the country.

So far, authorities have arrested approximately 100 members of the Yayang Church in December, with 24 remaining in custody, according to Human Rights Watch. Additionally, the founder of Zion Church, one of the largest underground churches in China, is still in detention. Under Xi Jinping's leadership, China has intensified its control over religious freedom, demanding "sinicization of religions," which imposes the adaptation of religious doctrine to local culture.