President Bush has asked Chinese President Jiang Zenim to open dialogue with religious leaders about freedom of worship in China.
National security adviser Condoleezza Rice told reporters Feb. 21 that Bust encouraged Jiang to “think hard about opening dialogue” with religious leaders, including the Vatican, the Dalai Lama and other organized religions.
China’s record on religious freedom has been criticized of late because of reports of a crackdown on unofficial house churches and religious movements.
“China’s future is for the Chinese people to decide, yet no nation is exempt from the demands of human dignity,” Bust said Feb. 21 in a joint press conference with the Chinese president. “All the world’s people, including the people of China, should be free to choose how they live, how they worship and how they work.”
Jiang told reporters he doesn’t have a religious faith but is interested in religion and has read the Bible, Koran and the Buddhist scripture. He denied that China restricts the practice of religion.
China’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, Jiang said. But, the nation’s laws also require churches to register and meet government-approved standards.
(ABP)
Share with others: