Religious affairs must accord with the law

While addressing a national conference on work related to religious affairs, held from Friday to Saturday in Beijing, Communist Party of China Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed upholding the principle of developing religions in the Chinese context, and providing active guidance for the adaptation of religions to a socialist society.

The important speech he made in the conference will serve as a guidance for the country's work related to religious affairs in the new era.

As Xi emphasized, the Party's theories on religious affairs, the government's basic policies on religious affairs, and the principle of the freedom of religious belief should be fully implemented in the new era.

Religious groups must strengthen their self-management, while the rule of law in religious affairs governance should be strengthened. Efforts are needed to better rally and guide religious believers to work together with the general public to develop China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

It is imperative to faithfully implement the Party's policy on freedom of religious belief, respecting people's religious beliefs, managing religious affairs in accordance with the law, adhering to the principle of independence and self-management, and to actively guide religions to adapt to the country's socialist society.

More efforts should be made to foster positive and healthy relations among religions, and support religious groups in strengthening self-building under the rule of law.

The management of online religious affairs must be strengthened, and the administrative departments should effectively address prominent problems that affect the sound practicing of religion, and support and guide religious circles to improve their self-education, self-management and self-discipline.

Religious activities should be carried out within the scope stipulated by the country's laws and regulations, and should not impair the health of citizens, offend public order and good morals, interfere with educational, judicial and administrative affairs or social life.

Also, it is important to foster a group of religious figures who are politically reliable, have noble characters and religious accomplishments, and can play a stabilizing role at critical times, and can steer efforts to improve the education and work mechanisms related to religions.