Written questions, answers and statements

China: Religious Freedom

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Question for Foreign and Commonwealth Office

UIN 113459, tabled on 16 November 2017

Question

Jim Shannon
Democratic Unionist Party
Strangford
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on that Government's revisions to regulations on religion and their effect on freedom of religion or belief.

Answer

Mark Field
Conservative
Cities of London and Westminster
Commons

Answered on

21 November 2017

​We remain concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, and on the rights of ethnic minorities in China. We are also aware of reports of the closure or demolition of churches, of the removal of crosses from buildings, and that individuals are being harassed or detained for their beliefs across China. We are concerned that new draft guidelines on religion in China may restrict lawful and peaceful observance of religion.

We raised these matters directly with the Chinese authorities at the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing on 27 June. We also issued an item IV statement at the 35th UN Human Rights Council in June reiterating these concerns.

Answered by

Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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