The Principle of Independence and Self-management of Religious Undertakings

In China, religious practices and religious undertakings by the religious believers are implemented independently with a national spirit. Communities of various religions, clergy of religious venues and religious activities and religious affairs are not subject to the intervention of or domination of foreign religious forces. Religious communities, venues and the religious clergy should conduct foreign exchanges on a friendly and equal basis. Any organization or an individual is not allowed to accept additional religious conditions when implementing economic and cultural cooperation and exchanges with foreign countries.

In China independence and self-management is the basic political principle for handling foreign relations in respect to religions. To implement the principle of independence and self-management, we should resolutely resist infiltration activities by foreign forces through religion, prevent them from using religion to interfere in China’s internal affairs, combat religious extremism, oppose and ban so-called religious cults, and combat various forms of terrorism. Meanwhile, we also need to carry out religious exchanges and cooperation actively based on equality and friendship, highlight our policy on freedom of religious belief in order to establish a good image of China’s policies related to religious affairs, and create a good external environment for Reform and Opening-up. Adhering to these principles is a choice made independently by the Chinese people based on history, as well as an inevitable choice based on reality. These principles are related to the healthy development of religions in our country, and favorable for securing national sovereignty and social stability. All religions in our country should follow these principles, which is also an inevitable requirement for doing good work related to religious affairs. However, independence and self-management does not mean isolation. It is good for China’s religious circles to develop correct and healthy foreign exchanges with their fellow believers. Consequently,it is necessary to encourage and support the religious circles to carry out foreign exchanges on the basis of independence, equality, friendship, and mutual respect, enhance mutual understanding and friendship with people from all countries and religious circles, thus make positive contributions to the maintenance of world peace.