China on Monday denounced the US' criticism of China's religion
policy and freedom, saying the "groundless" remark, in violation of
international norms, amounted to "interference in China's internal
affairs."
"China is strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposed to the US
accusation of the country in its religious freedom report," Foreign
Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement.
Qin's comments came in the wake of the US State Department's
International Religious Freedom Report 2006, which was released
last Friday.
The annual report was quoted by the Associated Press as saying
that "the Chinese government's respect for freedom of religion and
freedom of conscience remained poor."
"That's a groundless criticism of China's religion policy and
situation of religious freedom," Qin said.
"It violates the basic norms guiding international relations and
interferes with China's internal affairs," the spokesman said.
It is an indisputable fact that the Chinese government protects
the citizens' freedom of religious belief in accordance with laws,
and Chinese people of all ethnic groups enjoy full freedom of
religious belief according to laws, Qin stressed.
He demanded the US side "face squarely" its own problems
including religious freedom violations and stop interfering?in
China's domestic affairs.
China has more than 100 million people who practice a religion,
more than 100,000 venues for religious activities, and about
300,000 clergy members, according to official statistics.
Normal religious ceremonies or rituals conducted by ministers
and all other normal religious activities -- carried out either in
venues for religious activities or homes of religious adherents in
accordance with religious tradition -- are taken care of by
believers themselves and protected by law.
(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2006)