Inside China Today

Chinese Communist regime intensifies crackdown on House Churches

With Christmas just around the corner, Chinese Communist officials have pointed their spears at China’s House Churches, with the organiser of the China House Churches Federation, Pastor Zhang Mingxun being abducted on Sunday in Inner Mongolia. Also, gatherings at the Liang-Ren Church in Guangzhou were interrupted by dozens of officials sent by local authorities on Monday.

Rights organisation China Aid reports that Pastor Zhang was arrested by national security officers while he was at the Wulanhaote city of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to conduct a sermon. Pastor Zhang’s current whereabouts is still unknown.

Reporters tried contacting Zhang’s wife, she said her husband has been out of contact since Sunday morning, and suspects he was taken from his car by officials.

On November 28, Pastor Zhang was abducted and taken to the Nanyang Trade Union building. He says over 20 officials claiming to be from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Henan Department of Civil Affairs, the Bureau of Public Security and the Ministry of Religious Affairs made a decision to ban China’s House Churches Federation.

Pastor Wang Dao says his church has already filed a statement of claims to the local People’s Court, and if they follow normal procedures, the court should give a reply before Thursday. He says that if the court rejects the matter, they will appeal, and if all else fails, they will make recommendations to the National People’s Congress to change the constitution.