Officials in the city of Anyang, Henan province, are ordering Christians and other religious believers to register with authorities and give details of their conversion as well as the religious background of their family members.
A notice sent to state-registered churches on 4 April 2018 ordered residents who were Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim or any Christian denomination to register at the Neighbourhood Committee as soon as possible. China is ruled by Communist Party of China, which of course is atheistic.
A member of staff at the Neighbourhood Committee confirmed, when contacted by phone, that all Anyang residents who have religious beliefs are required to register.
She stated: “Bring your household registration and ID card … Fill out a form, fill in your name, birth date, address, religious background, when you converted, the religious background of your family members, etc.”
In March, authorities in Henan shut down a Christian kindergarten, allegedly for health and safety reasons, although one local Christian told journalists, “Nearby kindergartens which are run much more badly were not seized – only the one run by the church.”
