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Religious affairs rules promulgated
Religious Affairs Provisions, promulgated on November 30 with the approval of Premier Wen Jiabao, will formally come into effect on March 1, 2005, officials have announced. The provisions, a set of com-prehensive administrative rules concerning China's religious affairs, explicitly specify the legitimate rights of religious groups, religious sites and protection afforded to religious individuals. They also offer guidance on religious affairs involving State and public interests. The rules are regarded as a significant step forward in the protection of Chinese citizens' religious freedoms. The rules, which comprise 48 articles with seven chapters, are the first comprehensive ones of their kind concerning religious affairs promulgated by the government. China previously issued two earlier provisions by the State Council in 1994 on the management of sites for religious activities and on foreign nationals' religious activities in China. The new provisions will supercede those. The new provisions are designed to deal with new situations and issues that have emerged in recent years, with China's rapid socioeconomic development. The drafting of the provisions has taken six years, taking into account views and suggestions from people in legal circles, religious and human rights fields. With the Religious Affairs Provisions coming into effect, early provisions issued by the State Council on the management of sites for religious activities in 1994 will simultaneously be abolished, whereas provisions on foreign nationals' religious activities in China issued in the same year remain valid, officials said. |
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